Why is documenting adverse events and near misses important?

• A. To assign blame to staff.
• B. To replace patient charts.
• C. To support quality improvement and prevent recurrence.
• D. To delay patient care.

Answer: (C)

Documenting adverse events and near misses is essential because it creates a factual record that lets the team analyze what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. This information fuels quality improvement by enabling trend analysis, root-cause analysis, and targeted corrective actions—such as changes to workflows, training, or equipment. Recording near misses is especially valuable because it reveals weaknesses in systems before harm occurs, giving the chance to strengthen defenses proactively. A non-punitive, learning-focused approach encourages reporting and continuous safety improvement, which ultimately protects patients and supports accountability and regulatory expectations. This isn’t about blaming staff, it isn’t used to replace patient charts, and it should not delay patient care.