
Incident Report Essential Elements
Instructions
- The incident’s date, time, and location: This information is essential to ensure accurate documentation and identify any incident patterns or trends.
- Description of the incident: A detailed and objective description of what happened, including any contributing factors or underlying causes, can help determine the incident’s root cause.
- Description of injuries or harm: The nurse should document any injuries or harm caused by the incident, including physical, psychological, or emotional harm.
- Names and contact information of witnesses: If there were any witnesses to the incident, their names and contact information should be recorded to help further investigation.
- Actions taken immediately after the incident: It is important to document any actions taken immediately after the incident, including any first aid or emergency treatments provided.
- Recommendations for preventing future incidents: Nurses should provide their recommendations for preventing similar incidents from happening in the future. This information can be used to implement improvements in hospital policies and procedures.
- Signature and date: The nurse completing the incident report should sign and date the report to confirm that the information provided is accurate and complete
