Root Clause Analysis, Essay Example

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a form of problem solving that promotes investigation, understanding, and correction through the application of findings (Walker, 2011). This process forces those involved to gain a deep comprehension of the issues that underlie problems, instead of automatically treating them with a proverbial “band-aid”. RCA also works well in the context of a just/non-punitive organizational culture because it identifies weaknesses in systems instead of assigning blame to people. There are many variations on the core RCA concept, but the following guidelines are virtually guaranteed to apply to any approach:

1. The initial response to a problem should be to identify and clearly define the issue at hand. This process should continue throughout the RCA process, where definitions are applicable.
2. Using the defined terms, design and perform a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis to identify the factors that led to the problem.
3. Construct, implement, and evaluate the effects of interventions based on the results of the previous analysis.
4. RCA requires coordinated and consistent communication among all parties involved, including but not limited to stakeholders and shareholders.

The amount of RCA alternatives that are available can be intimidating when seeking a guiding information, but the variety provides a wealth of options that may be specifically applicable to a problem solving situation (Taitz et al., 2010). Approaches have been designed for general purposes including safety, production problems, processing errors, and systems analysis, as well as for specific issues that are unique to an organization. However, even with the availability of countless templates, successful RCA requires the focus to remain on the situation at hand, rather than previous examples.

References

Taitz, J., Genn, K., Brooks, V., Ross, D., Ryan, K., Shumack, B., … & Kennedy, P. (2010). System-wide learning from root cause analysis: a report from the New South Wales Root Cause Analysis Review Committee. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 19(6), e63-e63.

Walker, G. (2011). Infection prevention and control: implementing root cause analysis. Journal of Renal Nursing, 3(5), 214-220.