Adult-Gerontology CNS Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Prep Guide

An adverse event refers specifically to an injury that results from medical management rather than the underlying condition of the patient. It encompasses unintended harm that occurs as a result of clinical care or the healthcare environment. This terminology is crucial in understanding patient safety and quality of care, as it highlights instances where interventions or treatments may lead to negative outcomes, regardless of whether those interventions were properly performed or not.

In healthcare, recognizing adverse events allows for the identification of areas within clinical practice that require improvement to enhance patient safety. This term is often used in discussions about patient safety initiatives and in the analysis of healthcare outcomes.

The other terms like breakdown, error, and accident lack the specific connotation related to medical management and do not convey the same level of detail needed to understand the context of harm resulting from healthcare interventions. Error suggests a mistake but does not necessarily imply harm occurred as a result, while accident is too general and can apply to unforeseen incidents outside the medical context.