What is the term for reporting incidents that could have harmed a patient?

• A. Near miss reporting or incident reporting, per facility policy
• B. Immediate harm event
• C. Routine maintenance log
• D. Complaint against staff

Answer: (A)

Reporting incidents that could have harmed a patient is called a near-miss—often described as a near-miss incident or close call—documented according to the facility’s incident reporting policy. The idea is to capture events that almost caused harm but didn’t, so teams can learn from them and prevent recurrence. This practice supports patient safety and quality improvement by revealing weaknesses in systems, processes, or controls that could lead to harm if not addressed. It’s important to report promptly and follow the facility’s policy so the appropriate root-cause analysis and corrective actions can happen, while maintaining a non-punitive, learning-focused approach.

The other options don’t fit because an immediate harm event refers to something that did cause harm, not something that could have; a routine maintenance log tracks equipment upkeep rather than patient safety incidents; and a complaint against staff involves grievances about behavior or service, not the reporting of near-miss safety events.