A nurse is comparing the rate of medication errors on the medical unit to the rate from a medical unit in a magnet hospital. Which of the following quality improvement methods is the nurse using?

The correct answer is B: Benchmarking. Benchmarking involves comparing performance metrics to those of other organizations to identify best practices and improve performance. In this scenario, the nurse is comparing the medication error rate of the medical unit to a magnet hospital's unit to establish a standard for quality improvement. Root cause analysis (A) is used to identify underlying causes of problems, not compare rates. Risk benefit analysis (C) involves weighing the risks and benefits of a decision. Structure audit (D) assesses compliance with standards, not comparative performance.