Step 5: Classification
The person responsible for classifying incidents varies depending on your health service. Whether it's you that does it or someone else, it's an important part of the incident management process.
Click on the coloured folders to see how incidents are classified and for some examples.
Behaviour, conduct or abuse
Allegedly inappropriate - and sometimes illegal - behaviour, including self-harm, violence, abuse, and damage to property, or behaviour that contradicts instructions or medical advice.
Example. A patient discharged themself against medical advice.
Classification: Behaviour/conduct/abuse -subject left against medical advice.
Adverse outcome/harm
This is where to report needle stick injuries, slip and trips, exposures, adverse reactions, infections, injuries, and other unexpected outcomes.
Example. A staff member received a needle stick injury from a contaminated needle.
Classification: Exposure contact/with-blood/body substance needle-stick/sharp exposure.
Clinical care
Incidents that occur to patients while they are receiving healthcare. Incidents are sub-classified by the point in the process where they occurred, e.g. prescription, diagnosis, transfer, etc.
Example. Patient was given aspirin, even though the medication chart lists this as a known allergy.
Classification:- Prescription/order/decision- medicines - inappropriate prescription of medicine - without adequate reconciliation.
- Administration/ treatment- medicines inappropriate medication administered - despite known allergy.
Hazard/emergency
Incidents that involve facilities, property and environmental services. This is where to report emergency codes, equipment, the facility and security issues.
Example.The power to the Intensive Care Unit was disrupted and a Code yellow was called.
Classification:- Facilities/ plant/systems - failure/malfunction of.
- Emergency - code yellow-utilities.
Non-clinical services
Incidents that involve health services (or agencies) but are not directly related to the clinical care. This is where to report incidents related to administrative processes and access to information.
Example. An outpatient appointment was sent to a deceased patient.
Classification: Administration-Information access /provision-correspondence sent to deceased patient.
Click on the Next button to continue.
