Fourth-year nursing student perceptions of incidents and incident reporting

This study explored how fourth-year nursing students (n = 10) from one urban baccalaureate nursing program perceived incidents potentially harmful to patients, as well as incident reporting. Individual interviews were conducted. Five scenarios were presented in the interviews, with each scenario portraying a situation that varied in terms of the severity of potential for patient harm and the clinical team members involved. Participants' responses were analyzed using a descriptive thematic approach. Of the 50 events (10 participants × 5 scenarios), participants identified 37 events as incidents. Three themes emerged regarding how participants identified an incident: scope of practice, professional roles, and harm to the patient. Regarding 48 of the 50 events, participants said they would report these incidents either informally or formally. Findings from this study suggest a need for nursing education regarding what constitutes an incident, as well as how and when to report incidents.