FMEA and HFMEA: Opportunities for Improvement FMEA or Failure Modes and Effect Analysis is an approach to failure analysis that is widely used to evaluate the reliability of various hierarchical systems and define risks related to business activities. Importantly, there are three major types of FMEA that are centered around proper fault models, processes, or system design. In reference to the practical use of FMEA, there are ten key steps that are taken to implement the above-mentioned approach to risk prevention (FMEA Training, n.d.). Within the frame of the first three steps, evaluators are expected to identify areas of attention and collect data on the most important failure modes, thereby describing the potential effect of all failures on a final product or service. After that, three more steps focusing on detection, frequency, and severity are implemented. In order to provide a comprehensive assessment, each component is to be evaluated quantitatively for each consequence. Then, three numbers for each failure are multiplied together to calculate RPN scores. Quantitative data is used to sort out priorities and encourage proper role distribution in a team. Using RPN scores calculated for each potential failure independently, it is possible to exclude failures that are not very common or involve limited opportunities for improvement. Based on this information, effective action plans are developed to encourage positive changes. HFMEA or Healthcare Failure Modes and Effect Analysis are among the most commonly used variations of the previously discussed tool. HFMEA was designed a few years ago to assess and manage problems that take place in hospital settings. Nowadays, the use of this approach to risk assessment is inextricably connected with patient safety, which acts as one of the key values of healthcare. H/FMEA and Its Use From convenience considerations, HFMEA utilizes a less complicated algorithm if compared to FMEA. According to the U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs (n.d.), the basic form of HFMEA consists of five essential steps. First of all, conducting an HFMEA analysis involves choosing and defining a narrow topic for further investigation. Then, it is pivotal to form a team that involves experts in specific fields whose help is needed to design problem management strategies. After that, a process or problem under analysis is to be divided into subprocesses; this information is usually presented graphically to ensure demonstrability. Within the frame of the next step, all failure modes are analyzed with regard to their severity and probability, and the Decision Tree is used to sort out priorities. Finally, the information on potential failure modes is used to develop a few risk management strategies that are independent or interdependent. Nowadays, patient safety can be affected by numerous problems. A significant problem that can be managed using H/FMEA impacts client safety in many health facilities, including LIJ Forest Hills Hospital and other hospitals in the country. Staff shortage or the presence of inadequate nurse-patient ratios pose a significant threat to patient safety, increasing the probability of fatal patient care outcomes due to nurs