What it means
A form, often electronic, filled out after events such as a fall, a medication error, an injury to a staff member or visitor, or a near miss. It describes the facts: what happened, when, where, who was involved and what was done. It goes to risk management and quality staff, who look for patterns and fix systems. It is not part of the client's medical record. It may also be called an occurrence or variance report.
For the nurse
Care for the client first, then report. Write only objective facts, without blame or opinions. Do not write in the client's chart that an incident report was filed; chart the event and the care given.
In a chart
"Client found sitting on floor beside bed at 0215; no injuries noted; provider notified; incident report completed."
At a glance
| Also written | incident reports, occurrence report, occurrence reports, variance report, variance reports |
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Related terms
sentinel event
An unexpected event in health care that causes a client's death, permanent harm or severe temporary harm.
chain of command
The order of authority in an organization: who reports to whom, from staff up through managers to leaders.
quality assurance
An organized way of checking that care meets set standards and of fixing problems when it does not.
near miss
An error or unsafe situation that was caught before it reached the client, so no harm was done.