Failure Modes and Effects Analysis: Minimizing Harm to Our Bariatric Patients

The care of the bariatric patient presents nursing challenges including but not limited to transportation difficulties, skin care, sensitivity training, and patient education. Traditional organizational learning occurs in a trial-and-error fashion that is both costly and inefficient. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) has proven to be an effective method of minimizing errors in both the manufacturing and health care communities. It predicts failure points in the system and allows the organization to proactively address the underlying causes of the problems and prioritize strategies for improvement. Our analysis in our institution identified two main failure points: inappropriate equipment use and inadequate medical management of the bariatric patient. Solutions included unfettered access to specialized bariatric equipment, more effective training on the use of the equipment and management of the obese patient, and a readily available onsite reference manual.