Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 410 - RULES OF GEORGIA BOARD OF NURSING
Chapter 410-12 - MANDATORY REPORTING
Rule 410-12-.02 - Reporting of Minor Incidents

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 410-12-.02

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024

(1) The Georgia Board of Nursing believes that the protection of the public is not enhanced by the reporting of every minor incident that may be a violation of the Georgia Nurse Practice Act or a Board rule. This is particularly true when there are mechanisms in place in the nurse's practice setting to identify nursing errors, detect patterns of practice, and take corrective action to remediate deficits in a nurse's judgment, knowledge, training, or skill. This rule is intended to provide guidance to nurses, nursing peer review committees and others in determining whether a nurse has engaged in conduct that indicates the nurse's continued practice would pose a risk of harm to patients or others and should be reported to the board.

(2) A minor incident is defined by the Board as conduct by a nurse that may be a violation of the Nurse Practice Act or a Board rule but does not indicate the nurse's continued practice poses a risk of harm to a patient or another person.

(3) When evaluating if conduct must be reported to the Board the following factors should be considered:

(a) A nurse involved in a minor incident need not be reported to the Board unless the conduct indicates the nurse:
1.Ignored a substantial risk that exposed a patient or other person to significant physical, emotional or financial harm or the potential for such harm;

2.Lacked a conscientious approach to or accountability for his/her practice;

3.Lacked the knowledge and competencies to make appropriate clinical judgments and such knowledge and competencies cannot be easily remediated; or

4.Has engaged in a pattern of multiple minor incidents that demonstrate the nurse's continued practice would pose a risk of harm to patients or others.

(4) Other factors that may be considered in determining whether a minor incident should be reported to the Board are:

(a) The significance of the nurse's conduct in the particular practice setting; and

(b) The presence of contributing or mitigating circumstances, including systems issues or factors beyond the nurse's control, in relation to the nurse's conduct.

(5) When evaluating whether multiple incidents constitute grounds for reporting it is the responsibility of the nurse manager, supervisor or peer review committee to determine if the minor incidents indicate a pattern of practice that demonstrates the nurse's continued practice poses a risk and should be reported.

(6) Regardless of the time frame or number of minor incidents, if a nurse manager or supervisor believes the minor incidents indicate a pattern of practice that poses a risk of harm that cannot be remediated, the nurse should be reported to the Board.

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-25, 43-26-2, 43-26-5, 43-26-50, 43-26-51, 43-26-52 and 43-26-53.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Georgia may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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