The Truth Behind Emergency Room Errors jaxlegal.tumblr.com /post/141415874354/the-truth-behind-emergency-room-errors
See, that’s what the app is perfect for. It’s no
secret that emergency rooms are chaotic places. They are often filled with injured people who either actually need
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or demand immediate attention. The truth is, however, most emergency rooms are understaffed, and are simply unprepared for the large influx of people that need medical care, treatment, and attention every day. For example, in 2009, ER-related medical malpractice lawsuits totaled more than $1 billion. In fact, cases that involve malpractice in ER have more than doubled in the past two decades, even though overall medical malpractice lawsuits are down in Florida. Visit this site to learn more information on medical malpractice lawsuits in Florida.
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Matter of Life or Death…Literally Nurses and doctors are required to act quickly and must make life or death decisions with only seconds of time to process all of the patient’s medical history and current conditions. It is easy to see why emergency rooms are home to many errors that can lead to medical malpractice cases. The Jacksonville medical malpractice attorneys at Hardesty, Tyde, Green & Ashton frequently see medical malpractice clients that are the victims of ER errors. Some of these cases seem to have the same basic causes, which we have outlined below. Also Read : 5 Horrible Reasons Why Emergency Room Errors Happen
Lack of Information The emergency room is hectic, but having information about a patient is extremely important to their health, safety, and care. Sometimes things happen so quickly that nurses and doctors are unable to get the full background of the patient to learn critical information, such as: Allergies to medications, foods, etc. Medical care and treatment history Existing conditions that would impact care, such as diabetes, bleeding disorders, or mental instability Communication between nurses and doctors is usually significantly decreased in the ER, which can also contribute to the healthcare professional’s lack of information about the patient.
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When doctors do not have the right information, this inhibits their ability to provide a diagnosis that is both provided quickly and accurately. In fact, roughly 33 percent of all medical malpractice claims are based on incorrect or delayed diagnosis, and many of those situations occur in the emergency room.
Overtired, Overworked, and Inexperienced… Another common reason that medical malpractice errors happen is that nursing staff and emergency room personnel are notoriously overworked. Staffing is a serious problem for most emergency rooms, and training must be on the job in some situations. It takes a special kind of person to deal with the stress, anxiety, and quick-decision making required to work in an ER. Nonetheless, medical errors are much more likely to occur when nurses and doctors are forced to engage in hasty decision making. Nurses and emergency room doctors often work long hours, with barely enough time to get sleep between shifts. Burnout and job dissatisfaction is higher for nurses in hospitals than many other locations.
Overcrowding According to one 2011 survey, over one-third of nurses stated that having too many patients to care for at one time caused them to miss a change in a patient’s condition. Missing even these slight changes in an emergency room setting could mean life or death. Find out more information from that survey here. The overcrowding problem is only predicted to get worse, and this could be because the number of emergency rooms in the United States has decreased by more than 25 percent in the past twenty years. The average wait time in the ER ranges from 3 hours to more than 4.5 hours. Some states even face wait times of up to 7.5 hours. Approximately 50 percent of all ER facilities operate at or above capacity. With crowding problems like these, it is no surprise that delayed diagnosis and patient monitoring errors are toward the top of the causes for medical malpractice. Read more about overcrowding in hospitals here.
Lack of Appropriate Equipment or Supplies In an emergency situation, having appropriate supplies and working equipment is extremely important. “ Rapid response preparedness” is key in an emergency, and this includes having fresh supplies and functioning equipment. Failure to have particular items or dealing with monitoring equipment that does not work properly can mean the difference between accurate and adequate care and care that does not address the patient’s needs. Often, having the right supplies means having a stocked and maintained “crash cart,” which is a cart that carries supplies and equipment to be used specifically in emergency situations. These crash carts should be stocked and ready to go at all times, but sometimes that is not always possible. Nonetheless, this type of failure could be the cause of a medical malpractice claim that you should speak to your Jacksonville medical malpractice lawyer about. Some of the issues that arise with equipment or supply problems include: Blood component transfusions performed to the wrong patient because of incorrect blood recipient identification at bedside
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Tubing problems, including using the wrong tube and misconnections Inadequate doses or amounts of medications available in an emergency situation Not having tools that have been cleaned and sterilized properly Complete lack of supplies on the crash cart for a specific situation In hospitals that have poor funding, equipment and supplies may be more than just a hallway away—they could be unattainable. Of course, this can be a serious problem if the patient is unable to get to a facility fast enough to provide the equipment that he or she needs.
No Time to Double Check Decisions Medication errors are unfortunately relatively common in the emergency room, whether they include providing intravenous medication or providing medication with instructions to take it after the patient leaves. Sometimes the decision to provide medication is made in haste, so patients end up with too much or too little medication. In addition, other staff may not have the time to double check medication recommendations, so errors are intercepted less often. One study indicated that 23 percent of emergency room medication errors were detected before they got to patients. This may seem high, but the rate was 39 percent for the rest of the hospital. Nurses simply do not have the time to double check one another when they are providing care.
Getting Legal Help After an Emergency Room Errorwith a Team of Jacksonville Medical Malpractice Attorneys An emergency room error could cause serious long term damage, regardless of the cause. You may be able to assert a claim for medical malpractice. Visit here to get started with a Jacksonville medical malpractice attorney for more information.
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Did You Suffer From a Medical Malpractice? Contact Our Team of Medical Malpractice Attorneys
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Call Hardesty, Tyde, Green & Ashton,P.A. at 904-398-2212
Common Arguments Used Against Medical Malpractice Claims If you are filing a medical malpractice claim, it is important to have as much evidence as possible ready for your attorney. Medical malpractice claims are difficult and often come with numerous defenses that can be hard to fight off. Read More at http://goo.gl/84wf8l
8 Common Medical Errors That Can Be Considered Medical Malpractice You rely on physicians and medical professionals to keep you healthy and safe. But, with the long hours and extreme demands these individuals face each day, mistakes are going to happen. These mistakes, however, can cost lives—and leave families without their loved ones.
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There are some common medical errors out there that are eligible for medical malpractice lawsuits – and you may be surprised at what those common medical errors are. According to U.S. News, there are more than 200,000 preventable deaths each year due to these exact types of medical errors.
Prescription or Medication Errors One of the most common medical errors is that of prescription and medication errors. According to a study in 2006, 1.5 million Americans were injured because of medication errors. These errors can occur due to: • Incorrect dosage instructions on a prescription • Incorrect administrations by a health care professional • Patient provided incorrect medication by a pharmacy • Failure on the part of a physician to correctly assess a patient’s other medications for harmful effects
Blood Transfusion Issues Red blood cell transfusions are a common practice in the United States. But, studies have shown that some of these transfusions were unnecessary – and even medically inappropriate. Too many transfusions can lead to other illnesses or even death, because the more transfusions you receive, the higher at risk you are for a deadly infection.
Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis Delayed and misdiagnosis are one of the most common medical malpractice complaints in the United States. But, not all misdiagnosis cases are
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automatically qualified for medical malpractice; instead, the physician or medical professional must have exhibited negligence, such as: • Failing to test before diagnosing • Ignoring patient symptoms and complaints • Comparing the physician’s actions to what other qualified professionals would do (or not do) • Failing to diagnose a serious disease; therefore, delaying treatment
Childbirth Accidents Sadly, childbirth accidents are common in the United States. There are a variety of childbirth cases that can be eligible for a medical malpractice claim, including: • Failure to diagnose a medical condition during pregnancy • Not providing adequate prenatal care • Failure to identify a dangerous ectopic pregnancy • Failure to diagnose a disease within the fetus or disease the mother has that can be transferred to the baby • Incompetent use of forceps during delivery • Failure to order a C-section when it was medically necessary
Anesthesia Errors Anesthesia is commonly administered in medical settings. These types of errors, however, can be more deadly than surgical errors. All it takes is a small error to result in permanent brain injury, spinal cord damage or even death. Some examples can include administering too much or not monitoring the patient while under anesthesia to ensure their vitals are within normal range.
Infections Hospitals may appear clean, but they are teeming with germs. It is one of the most likely places for a patient to pick up an infection – and often a deadly one. Health care providers and workers who continue to treat patients even though they are sick can put a patient’s life at risk; therefore, the hospital and staff members are liable for their negligence. In other instances, hospitals that fail to properly sanitize medical equipment and pass around deadly disease are liable for negligence.
Surgical Errors Sadly, surgical errors are too common in the United States. From removing the wrong limb to performing surgery on the wrong site and more, surgical errors are becoming a growing problem in the United States. Also, during the surgery a skilled surgeon could accidentally sever an artery, causing the patient to bleed out – or they could be negligent when it comes to post-operative care.
Lack of Follow Up Care Any time a physician prescribes medication or a treatment, they owe the patient a follow up to make sure everything is still going well. A physician that fails to follow up on their patients may be negligent if that patient develops something more serious. Sometimes patients are instructed when they leave the hospital to take medications a certain way, but do not. Or the follow up care instructions are unclear or worse, incorrect.
Injured by a Medical Professional? Contact the Medical Malpractice Attorneys at Jaxlegal Today 8/11
If you or a loved one was seriously injured because of the negligence of a medical professional, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Contact the attorneys at Jaxlegal today. We understand how costly and devastating medical errors can be – and doctors should be held to a higher standard of responsibility than others. Call now for a free consultation.
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