Conducting Root Cause Analysis with Nursing Students

Best Practice in Nursing Education

Lambton, Judith EdD, RN
Mahlmeister, Laura PhD, RN

Dr. Lambton is Professor, University of San Francisco, and Dr. Mahlmeister is Educational and Legal Consultant, Mahlmeister and Associates, San Francisco, California.

The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.

Address correspondence to Judith Lambton, EdD, RN, Professor, University of San Francisco, Cowell Hall, 2130 Fulton, San Francis-co, CA 94117; e-mail: [email protected].

Received February 23, 2009

Accepted November 22, 2009

Journal of Nursing Education 49(8):p 444-448, August 01, 2010. | DOI: 10.3928/01484834-20100430-03

This article describes a novel approach that allows students to actively participate in a root cause analysis, whether the error was committed in the clinical setting or in the simulation setting. This process can develop student awareness of the responsibility and professional duty to participate in creating a safer patient environment.