Which action best demonstrates a focus on preventing adverse events and documenting near misses?

• A. Only document events if a lawsuit is threatened
• B. Dismiss minor events as non-safety concerns
• C. Publicly blame staff for errors
• D. Document adverse events properly

Answer: (C)

The main concept is building a culture of safety through reporting and learning. Focusing on preventing harm relies on capturing both adverse events and near misses so the team can study what happened, identify root causes, and put system changes in place to stop recurrence.

Documenting adverse events properly is the best action because it creates a reliable data source for analysis, trends, and corrective actions. When reports are complete and analyzed in a nonpunitive way, staff are encouraged to speak up, near misses are caught before they cause harm, and improvements are made to processes, protocols, and training. This proactive approach reduces risk and enhances patient safety.

Choices that delay reporting, dismiss minor events, or blame staff undermine learning and safety culture. They prevent the organization from seeing patterns and implementing fixes, which keeps patients at greater risk.