100 Unit 1 Introduction to Healthcare Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. An incident report must be fi lled out accurately, completely, and immedi- ately after the incident. You must use a black pen to fi ll in an incident report, as it is a legal document. Do not use whiteout on the report. Avoid being wordy in your report—simply state the facts. Healthcare facilities use a variety of incident report forms. The following information is included on most report forms: • date of incident • names of persons involved • location and time of incident • person to whom the incident is reported • date and time of the reporting • brief description of what happened • names of any witnesses • name of any machine or piece of equipment involved • action taken to prevent recurrence • signature of person fi lling out the report Patients’ Bill of Rights As you learned in chapter 3, patients have detailed rights, which are stated in the Patients’ Bill of Rights. These rights have been written to ensure that patients receive high-quality healthcare services, particularly regarding their safety. You may want to review the Patients’ Bill of Rights. Employee Safety For a healthcare facility to operate successfully, it must maintain employ- ee safety as well as patient safety. Employee illness and injury can affect patient care. An injury can also have serious professional consequences and may result in loss of a job. For example, a nurse who suffers a serious back injury might not be able to perform his or her nursing duties. The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard directly affects healthcare workers. This standard ensures that employees are educated about chemical hazards in the workplace. Chemical injuries can result from inhaling toxic fumes or from splashing acid into the eyes. Members of the housekeeping, custodial, laboratory, and food service teams, as well as pharmacy assistants, medical assistants, nursing staff, radiology employees, and dental assistants are just a few of the employees who may be at risk of a chemical injury. OSHA Hazard Communication Standard rules established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that require employers to educate employees about chemical hazards in the workplace Real Life Scenario Real Life Scenario James does clerical work in a pediatrician’s front office. One day James notices a 5-year-old boy running in the reception area. Suddenly, the boy trips over his untied shoelaces and bumps his head on a chair. His mother assures James that it is no big deal, as the boy is clumsy. James doesn’t notice a cut or any bleeding on the boy’s head. Apply It 1. Should James tell his employer about the boy’s fall? 2. Should James write up the incident even though the mother says not to bother? 3. Have you ever had to report an incident while on the job? If so, what procedure did you follow? Reporting Accidents