Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) Practice Exam

What is risk management's primary responsibility toward incident reports?

1. a. initiate the incident report

2. b. assign blame for the incident

3. c. determine the financial costs of the incident

4. d. review incident reports to identify possible failures in the system

The correct answer is: d. review incident reports to identify possible failures in the system

The primary responsibility of risk management with regard to incident reports is to review these reports to identify possible failures in the system. This process is crucial for improving patient safety and enhancing healthcare quality. By analyzing incident reports, risk management teams can uncover patterns or systemic issues that may contribute to adverse events. This proactive approach allows healthcare organizations to implement necessary changes to prevent future incidents, thereby fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement. In contrast, initiating incident reports is typically the responsibility of the individual who witnesses or is involved in the incident, not the risk management team. Assigning blame does not align with the goals of risk management, which focuses on prevention and learning rather than blame and punishment. Similarly, determining the financial costs of an incident is not the primary role of risk management; rather, their focus is on understanding and mitigating risks to enhance patient care and prevent incidents.