Which situation is considered a sentinel event?

• A. A fall with minor injury
• B. Delayed treatment with no harm
• C. Wrong surgery
• D. A near miss

Answer: (C)

Sentinel events are unexpected healthcare incidents that result in death or serious physical or psychological injury, or have the potential to cause such harm, and they indicate a failure in safety systems that must be investigated and corrected. The scenario of a wrong surgical procedure clearly fits this definition because it involves a medication/procedure error with the potential for death or serious harm, triggering mandatory investigation and actions to prevent recurrence. The other situations don’t meet the threshold: a fall with minor injury is harm but not severe, a delay in treatment with no harm shows no injury or risk of serious harm, and a near miss did not result in harm, though it should still be reviewed for system improvements.