After this huddle, staff should be able to:

• List examples of possible questions to ask in each part of a PCRA.  

• Apply the four parts of a PCRA to a workplace scenario and identify safe next steps. 

How to run the safety huddle 

As the huddle leader, do the following: 

• Before the huddle, review the huddle content and huddle leader notes. 

• Have resources ready, such as policy, employee assistance program, or SafeCare BC resources. 

• Have the PCRA template available during the discussion and show staff where to find it afterward. 

• Choose a scenario (or topic) that fits your workplace and read it aloud. 

• Use the guiding questions to lead the discussion. 

• Use huddle leader notes as support while leading the discussion. 

• Keep the discussion short, about 5-10 minutes. 

Definition 

A point of care risk assessment (PCRA) is a quick assessment of the person in care, environment, task, and yourself to identify risks and decide whether and how to proceed safely.

Scenario for long-term care

It is the start of the morning shift at a long-term care home, Staci, a care aide is finishing the night shift, and giving the handover to Priya, who will be caring for Mr. Thompson that morning. 

Staci tells Priya that Mr. Thompson did not sleep well last night. He was restless and spent much of the night tossing and turning. Staci also mentions that when she last checked his room, several pillows, his glasses, and a few personal items were on the floor beside his bed. Mr. Thompson was still sleeping when Staci left the room. 

Priya is listening, but she is feeling rushed and distracted. Her morning did not go as planned, she left home later than expected and had difficulty finding parking. She has made it to morning handover just in time and is thinking about everything that needs to get done. 

Breakfast will be starting soon, and Priya needs to get Mr. Thompson up, dressed, and ready to go to the dining room. With the morning schedule on her mind, Priya heads toward Mr. Thompson's room to wake him and begin his morning care. 

Guiding questions for long-term care

1. Is it safe for Priya to proceed with the task? Why or why not? 

2. Using the PCRA template, what questions can Priya ask to assess the risk injury?  

3. What should Priya’s next steps be? 

Scenario for home care

It is early in the morning, and Sarah, a home care worker, is travelling to Mrs. Chen’s home for her first visit of the day. The sun is just beginning to rise, but it is still dark outside and raining heavily. 

Traffic is much worse than Sarah expected because of the rain. Her drive has taken almost twice as long as usual, and she is now running behind schedule. She knows she has other clients to visit later that morning and is already thinking about how she can make up the lost time. 

When Sarah arrives at Mrs. Chen’s home, she quickly gathers her supplies and walks toward the house. As she approaches, she notices that the porch and exterior lights are off. With the rain and limited morning light, it is difficult to clearly see the walkway and steps leading to the front door. 

As Sarah gets closer to the house, she suddenly hears Mrs. Chen’s dog barking loudly from inside. She knows there is a dog in the home, but she is unsure where the dog is or whether it will be restrained when the door opens. Sarah checks the time. She is already late and wants to get inside so she can begin Mrs. Chen’s morning care and get back on schedule.

Guiding questions for home care

1. Is it safe for Sarah to proceed with the task? Why or why not? 

2. Using the PCRA template, what questions can Sarah ask to assess the risk of injury?  

3. What should Sarah’s next steps be?