What defines a sentinel event?

• A. An incident of unsafe practice resulting in extreme harm, short-term harm, permanent disability, or death
• B. An adverse event that causes minor discomfort
• C. A near miss that was avoided
• D. An administrative error only

Answer: (A)

Sentinel events are unexpected patient safety events that result in death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof, and they point to a failure in safety systems that requires immediate investigation and corrective action. The option describing an unsafe practice causing injury or harm to the patient aligns with this concept because it captures the idea that a preventable, significant harm outcome signals a sentinel event. Such events are serious enough to prompt formal review, such as root cause analysis, to prevent recurrence.

This differs from situations that only cause minor discomfort or near misses, which are not sentinel events because they do not involve serious harm or the risk of such harm. Administrative errors alone, without tied patient harm or risk, also do not meet the sentinel-event threshold.