Safety Event Classification in Healthcare

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Questions and Answers

Match the following types of safety events with their definitions:

Near Miss = Event which DID NOT reach the patient Adverse Event = Event that reached the patient and caused harm Serious Reportable Event (SRE) = Events that must be reported to a regulatory authority Non Safety Events = Events that occur without a direct impact on patient safety

Match the levels of harm with their descriptions:

No Harm = Did not result in detectable harm Low Harm = Mild impact, full recovery expected Moderate Harm = Short-term harm requiring medical treatment Severe Harm = Chronic pain and permanent incapacity

Match the types of interventions with their corresponding levels of harm:

Minimal or no intervention = Low Harm Medical treatment required = Moderate Harm Prolonged hospitalization = Severe Harm No intervention needed = No Harm

Match the duration of harm with its category:

Short/medium term = Low Harm Resolved in < 7 days = Moderate Harm <blockquote> 7 days incapacity = Severe Harm No duration = No Harm </blockquote> Signup and view all the answers

Match the characteristics with their corresponding types of events:

Blood reactions = Serious Reportable Event (SRE) Medication expiration = Non Safety Event Events due to luck = Near Miss Psychological distress = Moderate Harm Signup and view all the answers

Match the outcome expectations with their severity of harm:

Full recovery expected = Low Harm May shorten life-expectancy = Severe Harm No treatment required = No Harm Resolved in 7 days = Moderate Harm Signup and view all the answers

Match the examples with the type of safety event they represent:

Equipment breakages = Non Safety Events Patient complications = Adverse Event Reportable blood reactions = Serious Reportable Event (SRE) Incidents not affecting patients = Near Miss Signup and view all the answers

Match the terms with the correct definitions:

Near Miss = Event prevented from reaching the patient Adverse Event = Treatment required due to harm Serious Reportable Event (SRE) = Legally required report Non Safety Events = No direct impact on patient safety Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT classified as a type of safety event?

Superficial Incident Signup and view all the answers

A Near Miss refers to an event that reached the patient and caused detectable harm.

False Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main types of safety events?

Near Miss, Adverse Event, Serious Reportable Event (SRE) Signup and view all the answers

An event classified as _________ does involve some level of harm to the patient but is expected to lead to full recovery.

Moderate Harm Signup and view all the answers

Match the level of harm with its corresponding characteristic:

No Harm = Did not reach the patient Low Harm = Mild impact, full recovery expected Severe Harm = Unlikely to regain previous independence Moderate Harm = Short term harm, full recovery expected Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following events must be reported to a regulatory authority?

Blood reaction Signup and view all the answers

Equipment breakages are considered non-safety events.

True Signup and view all the answers

What duration of incapacity is associated with Severe Harm?

<blockquote> 7 days </blockquote> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Safety Event Classification

There are three types of safety events: near miss, adverse event, and serious reportable event (SRE).
Near miss: An event that did not reach the patient due to luck or early detection.
Adverse Event: An event that did reach the patient but did not result in detectable harm.
Serious Reportable Event (SRE): Includes events previously classified as "Never Events" and other internationally recognized reportable events.
- Examples include blood reactions, drug reactions, and early warning indicators.
- These events must be reported to regulatory authorities.
Non-Safety Events: Events that occur without a direct impact on patient safety, such as equipment breakage, medication issues, and financial errors.
Levels of Harm:
- There are five levels of harm to classify safety event outcomes:
  - No Harm: No treatment required or symptoms detected.
  - Low Harm: Mild impact with full recovery expected, minimal intervention required.
  - Moderate Harm: Short-term harm with full recovery expected, requires medical or surgical intervention.
  - Severe Harm: Unlikely to regain previous independence, prolonged hospitalization, and/or major surgery.
  - Death: Not reasonably expected as an outcome of healthcare, caused or brought forward by the event.

Safety Event Classification

Three main types of safety events:
- Near Miss: Event that did not reach the patient due to luck or early detection.
- Adverse Event: Event that reached the patient but did not result in detectable harm.
- Serious Reportable Event (SRE): Events previously classified as "Never Events" plus other internationally recognized reportable events. These events require reporting to regulatory authorities. Examples include blood reactions, drug reactions, and early warning indicators (EWS) for the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC).

Levels of Harm

Five levels of harm classify the severity of safety events:
- No Harm: No detectable harm to the patient, no treatment required, no symptoms detected.
- Low Harm: Mild impact, full recovery expected. Short to medium-term duration, resolving within hours. Minimal intervention or extra observation, minor treatment, or minor surgical intervention.
- Moderate Harm: Short-term harm with full recovery expected. Psychological distress requiring counseling. Resolves within 7 days, potentially increasing length of stay. Requires medical or surgical intervention like IV fluids, antibiotics, return to theatre, cancellation of treatment, or transfer for care.
- Severe Harm: Unlikely to regain previous independence. Duration exceeds 7 days with incapacity or chronic pain for more than 12 weeks. May be permanent or shorten life expectancy. Requires prolonged hospitalization, major surgery, or admission to a higher level of care (ICU/CCU/High Care).
- Death: Not reasonably expected as an outcome of healthcare by clinicians, caregivers, patient, and family. Event caused or hastened death in the short term on the balance of probabilities.

Non-Safety Events

Events without a direct impact on patient safety.
May indicate other concerns such as occupational risks or hazards. Examples include equipment breakages, medication breakages/expiration, financial statement errors, infrastructure damage, or hazards.

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Description

This quiz explores the classification of safety events in healthcare, including definitions and distinctions among near misses, adverse events, and serious reportable events. Test your understanding of the levels of harm and the importance of reporting specific incidents to regulatory authorities.