Medication use risk management: Hospital meets home care (Reprinted from Home Health Care Management and Practice, vol 2, 2000)

Risk management is an objective strategy that seeks to eliminate or decreas e the chances of financial loss and legal action. Risk management focuses o n an actual mistake, an accident, or a potential similar occurrence. Risks occur in nursing in a variety of practice settings. Nursing has identified several key areas in which systematic change has improved and decreased the risk factor encountered in practice. This article targets medication usage and administration and the methods introduced in quality improvement proce sses to decrease risks and potentially reduce financial and legal risk.