Associate – Infection Prevention And Control (a-IPC) Practice Exam

Which term describes an event that could have caused harm but did not?

Error Adverse Event Near Miss Sentinel Event

Correct Answer:

Near Miss

Explanation:

Near misses describe events where something could have caused harm but, due to luck, timing, or a safeguard kicking in, no actual harm occurred. The emphasis is on potential harm that was averted, not on harm that happened. In infection prevention, recognizing near misses helps identify weaknesses in systems or processes so they can be fixed before any patient is harmed. This differs from an adverse event, where harm did occur from the care provided, and from a sentinel event, which is a serious, unexpected incident that requires urgent investigation. It also distinguishes from an error, which is a mistake in planning or execution; a near miss is about a mistake or hazard that could have caused harm but didn’t reach the patient.

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