ACC Risk Assessment & Management 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An activity consultant notices that a participant's behavior has changed dramatically over three days—becoming withdrawn and refusing meals. From a risk management standpoint, the BEST action is to:
- Wait one more week to see if the behavior resolves naturally
- Document and immediately report the change to the interdisciplinary care team (Correct answer)
- Redirect the participant to a favorite past activity only
- Increase social group size to stimulate engagement
Correct answer: Document and immediately report the change to the interdisciplinary care team
Sudden behavioral or functional changes may signal a medical emergency, abuse, or mental health crisis, requiring prompt documentation and interdisciplinary team notification.
Question 2: Which type of risk is BEST addressed through participant health screening questionnaires administered before program enrollment?
- Environmental risk
- Inherent activity risk
- Pre-existing medical risk (Correct answer)
- Staff competency risk
Correct answer: Pre-existing medical risk
Health screening questionnaires identify pre-existing medical conditions that may increase a participant's risk of injury or adverse events during specific activities.
Question 3: When evaluating an outdoor garden activity for residents using wheelchairs, which hazard should be assessed FIRST?
- Plant toxicity of all garden species
- Sun exposure time limits for fair-skinned participants
- Surface accessibility and stability of pathways (Correct answer)
- Availability of gardening gloves in all sizes
Correct answer: Surface accessibility and stability of pathways
Surface accessibility and pathway stability are the primary mobility safety concerns for wheelchair users in outdoor environments, as uneven terrain poses immediate fall and tip-over risks.
Question 4: An incident report should be completed:
- Within 24 hours of the incident at the latest
- As soon as possible after the participant is stabilized and emergency response is complete (Correct answer)
- Only if the incident results in hospitalization
- At the end of the activity consultant's shift
Correct answer: As soon as possible after the participant is stabilized and emergency response is complete
Incident reports should be completed as soon as the immediate situation is resolved to ensure accuracy of details while memory is fresh and documentation is timely.
Question 5: Which activity modification would BEST reduce the fall risk for participants with balance impairments during a standing exercise class?
- Conducting the class on a carpeted surface only
- Providing chair-based alternatives and ensuring grip-rail access (Correct answer)
- Reducing class duration from 45 to 30 minutes
- Playing slower music to reduce movement speed
Correct answer: Providing chair-based alternatives and ensuring grip-rail access
Chair-based exercise alternatives and accessible grip rails allow participants with balance deficits to safely engage in exercise programming with appropriate physical support.
Question 6: A risk management plan should be reviewed and updated:
- Only after a serious adverse incident occurs
- Every five years or when required by accreditation
- At least annually or whenever programs, populations, or environments change significantly (Correct answer)
- Whenever a new staff member joins the team
Correct answer: At least annually or whenever programs, populations, or environments change significantly
Risk management plans require at least annual review and must be updated whenever significant changes in programs, environments, or participant populations introduce new hazards.
Question 7: Which of the following BEST describes the principle of 'duty of care' for an activity consultant?
- The legal obligation to follow all physician orders exactly as written
- The professional responsibility to take reasonable precautions to prevent foreseeable harm to participants (Correct answer)
- The ethical duty to document every interaction with a participant
- The mandate to report all activities to the state licensing board
Correct answer: The professional responsibility to take reasonable precautions to prevent foreseeable harm to participants
Duty of care requires activity consultants to take reasonable and foreseeable precautions to protect participants from harm during programming.
ACC Risk Assessment & Management 3
An activity consultant notices that a participant's behavior has changed dramatically over three days—becoming withdrawn and refusing meals.
From a risk management standpoint, the BEST action is to: