Risk management is selecting an optimal method for controlling risk through identifying, analyzing and evaluating it. In Korea, there is no significant risk management research in the social welfare area. Especially nursing homes aimed at the elderly,...
Risk management is selecting an optimal method for controlling risk through identifying, analyzing and evaluating it. In Korea, there is no significant risk management research in the social welfare area. Especially nursing homes aimed at the elderly, which have no systematic research backbone to complement services despite the static danger of various accidents. Therefore, research in risk management is required. This research aims to unveil the existing dangers in nursing homes by identifying their individual risk levels, examining the need for risk management, and analyzing current situations to derive a proper method to manage risk.
This paper uses a document-based research method to examine the concepts and backgrounds of risk management, its necessity, its types and its expected effects.
The research results can be summarized as follow.
First, risk factors in nursing homes are identified in this order; management, business process, society and natural calamity. This is presumed to arise from competition among firms and facilities and changes in organizational climate, resulting from an increase in the number of social welfare facilities.
Second, the risk level associated with nursing homes is high, yet risk management is conducted in a small level. So improvement of safety in the facilities and pertinent policies is recommended.
Third, nursing homes are in great need of risk management and a legislative proposal is necessary for future facilities to manage risk properly.
Fourth, through examination of the current risk management methods, it was revealed that each facility performs safety checks, fire drills, carries liability insurance and gas safety education, but does not make accident reports or accident prevention manuals.
Fifth, by analyzing the needs, nursing homes were reported to choose 'safety check' as the highest need to properly manage risk, and 'staff training for accident prevention,' 'coverage by both fire and damage insurance,' 'the maintenance and sharing of risk information,' 'staff counseling' 'staff discussions on accident prevention,' 'an accident reporting form,' 'accident prevention manual,' in respective order.
Sixth, an examination of correlation between risk and risk management showed that the higher social and business related the risks were, the more active facilities manage risk.
All these results lead to the conclusion that more specific methods are necessary for the prevention of (care) accidents and to improve the of quality risk management.
A proper flow of information is also required. To find ways to prevent and deal with risk, risk management, which starts with grasping the situations and repeating the cycle of evaluating and analyzing, facing and dealing with and re-evaluating and preventing risk, is needed.