Incident Documentation and Reporting
Purpose
If it isn't documented, it didn't happen. Reports protect the client, the company, and you. Write facts, not opinions.
Key concepts
- The 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, why (and how). Include exact times.
- Objectivity: describe observable facts - "appeared unsteady," not "was drunk"; "stated," not "admitted."
- Completeness: date/time, location, people involved, witnesses, actions taken, notifications made, outcome, signature.
- Chronological order and clear language; avoid jargon and speculation.
- Corrections: never erase; strike through, initial, and date. Reports may become evidence.
- Confidentiality: share only on a need-to-know basis.
- Types: incident, use-of-force, injury, property damage, lost-and-found, daily activity log.
Traps
- Including conclusions or opinions instead of facts.
- Leaving out witness names or notification times.
- "Fixing" a report by erasing or rewriting.
- Writing a report hours later from memory without noting the delay.
- Promising confidentiality or outcomes you can't guarantee.
Worked example
You respond to a slip-and-fall in a lobby. Write: date/time, exact location, who was involved, what you observed (wet floor, no sign), actions (called EMS, notified supervisor), witnesses, and outcome. Rule of thumb: Write what a camera would see, not what you think happened.