Incident report

Incident report is a document that describes any event that deviates from the normal course of operations in a healthcare setting. This can include accidents, injuries, near misses, or any other type of incident. The purpose of an incident report is to document the exact details of the occurrence while they are fresh in the minds of those who witnessed the event. This helps to ensure that the details are recorded accurately, which can be important for future investigations or legal proceedings.

Purpose

The primary purpose of an incident report is to document the details of an event that is out of the ordinary in a healthcare setting. This can include accidents, injuries, near misses, or any other type of incident. The report is used to help prevent future incidents and to improve patient safety.

Components

An incident report typically includes the following components:

• Date and time of the incident: This is the exact date and time when the incident occurred.
• Location of the incident: This is the specific location within the healthcare facility where the incident occurred.
• Description of the incident: This is a detailed account of what happened during the incident.
• Persons involved in the incident: This includes the names and roles of all individuals who were involved in the incident.
• Actions taken after the incident: This includes any immediate actions that were taken in response to the incident, as well as any long-term actions that are planned to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Importance

Incident reports are an important part of maintaining patient safety in a healthcare setting. They provide a record of incidents that can be used to identify patterns and trends, which can in turn be used to develop strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future. Incident reports also provide a legal record of events, which can be important in the event of a lawsuit.

See Also

• Patient safety
• Healthcare quality
• Risk management

Incident report Resources
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