How to write an incident report
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
Incident reports help find and fix system problems. They are a safety tool, not a punishment.
Step by step
Care for the patient
Check the patient and treat any harm first. [1]
Notify the right people
Tell the provider and your supervisor. [1]
Write promptly
Complete the report as soon as possible, usually before the end of the shift. [2]
State facts only
Write what happened, when, where, who was involved and what was done. Quote the patient. [2]
Avoid blame and opinions
Describe events, not guesses about cause or fault. [3]
Keep it out of the chart
Document the event and care in the medical record, but do not mention the incident report there. [2]
Report near misses too
Report events that almost happened; they show weak spots in the system. [1]
Common errors
- Writing opinions or blame.
- Mentioning the incident report in the chart.
- Not reporting near misses.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- The Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals
- Open RN, Nursing Fundamentals 2e (CC BY 4.0)
- AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
- AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)
Facts and steps follow AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs); AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.