What risks aren’t being managed in your Aged Care facility?

Risk Management has taken on a new direction in Aged Care with the New Aged Care Quality Standards. Risk assessment and evaluation, Standard 3 (3b) is a mindset that needs to run seamlessly alongside in every activity undertaken or supervised by a Registered Nurse and/or Management Team.

The most significant risk faced by Aged Care this year has very clearly been COVID-19 related, but there will be no lenience at audit time despite enormous strains on human resources. One of the greatest focuses in the 20-21 period will be Standard 3. Management Teams and Registered Nurses are accountable for the compliance of all staff, however, a demonstration that all staff has learned the standards is key to ensuring a successful audit outcome.

Questions to ask:

• What are your falls risk management plan?
• Does the team have adequate equipment to manage falls risks?
• Could each staff member demonstrate the safe use of equipment?
• Can your organisation demonstrate that action has been taken to minimise risk re-occurrence?
• Does your organisation have strategies to manage behaviours that create potential risk to staff, self and other consumers, such as wandering, sexual assault and aggression?

Food and intake related risks have also been shown to be some of the more poorly managed risks in Aged Care. Unexplained weight loss and food and fluid intake are often not managed well with a risk focus, and food and fluid intake are often not well recorded.

If you or your team are not managing risk related activity as well as you could be, you will be at risk. Create the simplest path to audit success by calling HCA Online Learning on 1300 952 433, or click here to download our full learning library.