A Digital Publication for the Practicing Medical Specialist, Industry Executive & Investor

10 Details To Include In A Bedside Incident Report

It is the duty of every trained nurse, midwife, or nursing aide to make an incident report promptly about unfortunate happenings in the course of his/her duty.  In fact, it is a requirement in the job description. Failure to report could cost a nurse his/her license and even face imprisonment. Yet many often do not know the right thing to do when an incident happens.

A bedside incident can be any physical or psychological injury caused by nursing that requires emergency skills, knowledge, and training of a registered nurse. It can also include any incorrect or undesirable act or omission made by a nurse.

What is an incident report? A bedside incident report is the written account of what happened either in the patient’s record, memo book, get well card, hazard communication form. It must indicate who was involved and the time it happened with the names of witnesses if there are any. Incident reports will be used by the board of nursing to investigate the case, determine who is at fault, and decide on appropriate sanctions.

Don’t know how to write an incident report? Here are 10 details to include in a bedside incident report:

1. Patient’s name and age

The patient’s name and age must be included in the incident report form because this will help you determine how to investigate the case and who has jurisdiction particularly when there is a possible criminal element. The patient’s identity should also appear in the medical record especially if it will be used as evidence in court.

2. Date, time, and place where the incident occurred

The date, time, and place where the bedside incident occurred are important details because they can establish facts about what happened. Any incident report template must include this. You may need this information to figure out how best to investigate the case or who will have jurisdiction over it. The incident’s exact location will also help you determine if there were witnesses who could be included in the investigation.

10 Details To Include In A Bedside Incident Report
Venngage

3. Description of what happened, including names of the people involved

The description should include the names of the patient and anyone closely involved in the incident. It is also helpful to include any witnesses or bystanders who may have seen what happened or who could help identify the cause of injury. The report should provide an accurate record even if the incident was not witnessed by a nurse. The written record will at least provide a consistent fact in the case.

You may consult the help of a flow chart maker if it makes your narrative more comprehensible. You can view examples of such on Venngage.

4. What steps you or your colleagues took in response to the incident, including any relevant names of nurses and doctors involved

This part of the bedside incident report is very important because it can establish what happened to prevent similar incidents from happening. It is important to list the names of nurses and doctors who were involved in responding to the incident, like those who responded to a code blue or attempted CPR.

5. Description of measures taken against possible negligence on your part

The description should include any disciplinary action that was taken against you as well as medical care you received after the incident. If you were not disciplined or given medical care, the report should say so.

6. Name of the person who prepared the bedside incident report and name of the person who approved it

This information must be included because it establishes the credibility of the written record. The signature of any person involved in reporting or investigating cases including yourself can serve as evidence.

7. Your signature and date when the event happened

Your statement must be in your own words but need not be written in the first person. It can be signed either by you or your attorney. When the patient is not physically present but you are writing about him or her, use “the patient” or “the victim.” The printed name of the witness who signed should appear.

2Nd
Venngage

8. Material facts that may affect the credibility of your statement

It would be helpful to include other facts that can support your written account like medical records, pictures of the scene, or samples of any drugs used when you are writing the bedside incident report. This will help establish your credibility when you defend yourself.

Your statement should include whether the legal action has been taken against your nursing license and who may be responsible for it.

10. The degree to which you can recall the events and how they happened

When should an incident report be completed? Immediately as to remember details as accurately as possible. You must describe your recollection of what occurred while being careful not to leave out any details that may be important in your defense. Details like time, place or exact statements made should be included. You cannot change or correct a statement once it has been submitted.

Conclusion

Including all of these details in a written report will help you protect yourself from being blamed for the incident. The more information you have, the better your chance of getting your license back or getting a positive result. Don’t forget that it is very important to get a good lawyer who can help you throughout the process.

Medical Device News Magazinehttps://infomeddnews.com
Medical Device News Magazine provides breaking medical device / biotechnology news. Our subscribers include medical specialists, device industry executives, investors, and other allied health professionals, as well as patients who are interested in researching various medical devices. We hope you find value in our easy-to-read publication and its overall objectives! Medical Device News Magazine is a division of PTM Healthcare Marketing, Inc. Pauline T. Mayer is the managing editor.

More News!

The Evolut ™ FX+ TAVR system leverages market-leading valve performance with addition of larger windows to facilitate coronary access
The study was an analysis of AstraZeneca’s Phase 2 52-Week clinical trial of tralokinumab in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). The patient data from the trial was processed with Brainomix’s e-Lung tool. The tool is uniquely powered by the weighted reticulovascular score (WRVS), a novel biomarker that incorporates reticular opacities and vascular structures of the lung.
“Since the algorithm for matching patients with donors is changing across for all organs, this was a prime time to better understand whether transplant team decisions to accept a donated organ varied by patient race and gender,” she said. “We wanted to understand how the process of receiving a transplant after listing varied by race and gender, and the combination of the two, so that steps can be taken to make that process more equitable," said Khadijah Breathett, MD.
The Mount Sinai study found that primary care physicians’ approach reflects a dearth of evidence-based guidance for lung cancer screening shared decision-making in patients with complex comorbidities
This is the first ever transplantation of a genetically engineered porcine kidney into a living human recipient.

By using this website you agree to accept Medical Device News Magazine Privacy Policy