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Online course · Australia

Preventing Recurrence: Ensuring a Mistake or Misconduct Is Not Repeated

Root Causes, Personal Action Plans and Evidence of Change

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

After an error or a conduct concern, the question regulators, employers and patients most want answered is whether it could happen again. This course helps practitioners find the real causes and build controls and evidence that make recurrence unlikely.

The course explains why recurrence is the central question, the difference between promises and prevention, patterns of recurrence and where this course fits. It then covers building an accurate account, systems thinking, simple root-cause tools and the difference between error, at-risk behaviour and reckless conduct.

Root causes in conduct, boundaries and health are treated in depth, including triggers and high-risk situations and avoiding shallow causes. Designing controls covers the hierarchy of effectiveness, system controls, supervision and peer review and the right role for education.

Later sections show how to build a personal prevention plan, write measurable actions, use implementation intentions and relapse prevention, gather evidence through audit and behaviour measures, present evidence honestly and sustain change over time.

What you will learn

  • Explain why "could this happen again?" is the question regulators and employers keep asking
  • Piece together a neutral account of the event from records, colleagues and the patient's perspective
  • Look past the obvious cause using systems thinking and a few simple analysis tools
  • Find the triggers behind conduct, boundary and probity lapses, and the role of health and fatigue
  • Choose controls that change systems rather than relying on good intentions
  • Turn the analysis into a plan with named actions, measures and dates to review progress
  • Collect honest evidence, such as audit results, that the new controls are working
  • Keep the change going and act openly if a similar event happens

Who this course is for

  • Practitioners after a clinical error, complaint or notification
  • Practitioners with a conduct, boundary or probity concern
  • Practitioners preparing a response or a review application
  • Supervisors and mentors helping a practitioner plan change
  • Practitioners who want to prevent problems before they happen

How the course works

  1. Once you enrol, open the course from My Courses whenever it suits you. It runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.

  2. Read 28 lessons grouped into 7 sections. Each lesson unlocks when you finish the one before, and your progress is kept in your browser between visits.

  3. Pause on the worked scenarios and reflection prompts. Anything you type is kept in your course pack, which you can download in Word format or print to PDF.

  4. Complete the final assessment of 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 80% (12 of 15). Retakes are allowed.

  5. After the reflective account and feedback, the course is marked complete in your account and your certificate of completion becomes available. It states the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); log the time you actually spend.

Course content

8 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1Why Preventing Recurrence Matters4 lessons
  • Recurrence as the Central Question
  • Promises Versus Prevention
  • Patterns of Recurrence
  • Where This Course Fits
2Understanding What Really Happened4 lessons
  • Building an Accurate Account
  • Systems Thinking and Contributing Factors
  • Simple Tools for Finding Root Causes
  • Error, At-Risk Behaviour and Reckless Conduct
3Root Causes in Conduct, Boundaries and Health4 lessons
  • Why Conduct Matters Need Root-Cause Analysis Too
  • Triggers and High-Risk Situations
  • Health, Fatigue and Wellbeing as Root Causes
  • Avoiding Shallow Root Causes
4Designing Controls That Work4 lessons
  • The Hierarchy of Effectiveness Applied to Your Practice
  • Building System Controls Into Your Workflow
  • People Controls: Supervision, Mentoring and Peer Review
  • The Right Role for Education
5Building a Personal Prevention Plan4 lessons
  • The Structure of a Prevention Plan
  • Writing Specific, Measurable Actions
  • Implementation Intentions and Relapse Prevention
  • Adapting the Plan to Different Kinds of Event
6Evidence That Change Has Happened4 lessons
  • What Counts as Evidence
  • Running a Simple Audit Cycle
  • Measuring Behaviour, Not Just Knowledge
  • Presenting Evidence Honestly
7Sustaining Change Over Time4 lessons
  • Drift, Complacency and Review
  • Sharing Learning and Strengthening the System
  • Looking After Yourself While Sustaining Change
  • If It Happens Again
8Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

Is a course enough to show I will not repeat a mistake?

Usually not on its own. Regulators look for understanding of root causes and controls that actually change practice. This course helps you build that evidence, with education as one part of it.

Does it apply to conduct matters as well as clinical errors?

Yes. Boundary breaches, dishonesty and health-related lapses get the same root-cause treatment as clinical errors, with examples for each.

What is the hierarchy of effectiveness?

It ranks controls from strongest (removing the hazard or building it into systems) to weakest (reminders and training). The course applies it to personal practice.

Can I use the prevention plan in a response to Ahpra?

The plan is designed to be useful evidence. Seek advice from your lawyer or defence organisation about what to submit.

How should I record this course in my CPD log?

Log the date, the course name and the time you actually spend; the certificate shows only the estimated learning time. Add two or three lines on what you will do differently, and file the certificate next to your reflective account.

Who runs this course?

Probity Courses, an education provider with no affiliation to Ahpra, the National Boards or any regulator. Your Board's own codes and guidelines always take precedence over course material.

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