Paediatric Homecare Risk Management: An Application of Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM)

Paediatric homecare is an advancing field of healthcare, driven by quality of care direct to the patient in their own homes and with their families. Risk management being an integral component of homecare services including incident and risk assessment management. This study investigated risk management in homecare focusing in on two aspects of risk, incident, and risk assessment management. A Grounded Theory approach was used to gather key functions of risk management; these were then mapped using Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM). The study interviewed 19 nursing across paediatric homecare services. The interviews were semi-structured and focused about risk, quality, complaints, audit, care, and management. The interview data was transcribed and coded with translation of coding into functions for using the FRAM tool. The FRAM detailed the process of reporting an incident and risk assessment management of the actual work as done by participants of the study. This was then scrutinised and contrasted between policy requirements to gain an understanding, and development of a refined process that could have less variability in function and consequently improvement in quality. Consequently changes to policy and training in risk management were made to enhance the systems.