Incident reporting is the responsibility of all team members.

This article will provide you with a clear

overview of writing an effective incident report, what to include and how to describe the situation
objectively.

It is important to ensure that prompt reporting of an incident, as well as appropriate corrective action,
take place. Time lines for both will also be legally imposed. You should therefore understand that the
requirement of incident reporting in your workplace should result in improvements in your practice
environment.

Incident Reports and Legal concideration

This lecture reviews the critical principles that underpin the preparation of incident reports, but more
importantly, describes how they can be used as instruments for positive change.

Overview

Incident reports comprise two aspects. First, there is the actual reporting of any particular incident (this
may be something affecting you, your patient or other staff members), and the relevant corrective
action taken. Secondly, information from incident reports is analysed to identify overall improvements
in the workplace or service.

You should be familiar with, and follow, incident reporting procedures in your workplace. The following
tips are provided to help this process.

What is included in an incident report?

 The name of the person(s) affected and the names of any witnesses to an incident

 Where and when the incident occurred

 The events surrounding the incident

 Whether an injury occurred as a direct result of the incident

 The response and corrective measures that were taken

It should be signed and dated prior to handing it in to the appropriate person, such as a supervisor.

What situations should be reported? Examples include:

 Injuries – physical such as falls and needle sticks, or mental such as verbal abuse

 Errors in patient care and medication errors

 Patient complaints, any episodes of aggression

 Faulty equipment or product failure (such as running out of oxygen)

 Any incident in which patient or staff safety is compromised.

You should keep the following points in mind when documenting an incident:

Use objective language

Write what was witnessed and avoid assigning blame; write only what you witnessed and do not make
assumptions about what occurred.

 Have the affected person or witnesses tell you what happened and use direct quotations

 Ensure that the person who witnessed the event writes the report

Report in a timely manner

Complete your report as soon as the incident occurs, or as soon as is feasible afterwards. Never try to
cover up or hide a mistake! Nurses practice within a Code of Conduct.

By following these simple tips, you will help to keep your patients safe and will also protect yourself.