What are the basic steps in a root cause analysis after a medication safety event?

• A. Assemble team, define problem, collect data, identify root causes, develop and implement corrective actions, monitor effectiveness.
• B. Plan; Do; Check; Act.
• C. Define risk; implement punitive measures; monitor costs.
• D. Identify near misses; ignore data; implement new policies.

Answer: (A)

Root cause analysis after a medication safety event is a structured problem‑solving approach aimed at uncovering the underlying factors that allowed the event to occur and preventing recurrence. The process starts with assembling a multidisciplinary team so that diverse perspectives and frontline insights shape the investigation. Next, a clear problem statement and defined scope keep the analysis focused on what went wrong and why. Collecting data from multiple sources—incident reports, patient records, workflow observations, and interviews—provides a factual basis rather than relying on assumptions. Then comes identifying root causes, using approaches like the 5 Whys or cause-and-effect analysis to move beyond obvious mistakes to systemic contributors such as processes, communication gaps, or policy issues. With those root causes in mind, develop and implement corrective actions that target these underlying factors, altering processes, training, systems, or policies as needed. Finally, monitor effectiveness using predefined metrics and follow-up to ensure the changes reduce risk and are sustained over time. The other options describe general quality cycles or promote punitive measures, ignore data, or focus on cost rather than learning and safety, which do not align with the goal of a thorough, corrective RCA.