Episode 9 — The Importance of a Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA)
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Episode 9 — The Importance of a Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA)
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About this listen
Episode 9 — The Importance of a Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA)
A Point of Care Risk Assessment, or PCRA, is any interaction with a resident or patient in which healthcare workers make rapid decisions throughout their shift to reduce their risk of exposure:
• What is the risk of exposure?
• What PPE is required?
• Is this the right environment for this task?
• What precautions are needed based on what I see, hear, and know?
In this episode, I walk through the purpose of a PCRA, why it’s distinct from Routine Practices and Additional Precautions, and how frontline staff use PCRA as a real-time safety tool to protect residents, patients, and themselves.
We’ll cover:
✔ What a PCRA is and why it matters
✔ How frontline staff use PCRA thinking before every interaction
✔ The difference between PCRA and Routine Practices
✔ Practical examples from acute care, LTC, and community
✔ How PCRAs support safe workflows and reduce preventable exposures
This is a foundational concept in IPAC — and when done consistently, it strengthens safety culture, reduces transmission risk, and improves decision-making at every point of care.