If a patient suffers serious harm or even death due to the negligence of a nurse, it can lead to serious legal issues.
No nurse wants this to happen, but untoward events do occur, and when they do, nurses must take care to ensure their rights are protected.
Below, we take a look at how nursing mistakes can lead to serious legal issues that are best avoided.
Let’s take a look at how you can protect yourself, get justice for your patient, and keep your career on track.
Let’s begin.
In this article
Failure to Monitor
Failure to monitor can occur when a nurse does not regularly check on a patient or observe any changes that could indicate a declining health status or symptom. This kind of mistake can have far-reaching implications as it provides grounds to sue the nurse or the organization in court for medical malpractice.
To prevent legal issues, nurses must make regular patient checks and become aware of any changes that might require immediate intervention. If any mistakes are made, nurses should document the event and provide appropriate follow-up treatment to ensure patient safety.
Medication Errors
Medication errors are an ever-present danger in nursing. Even with protocols and procedures being put in place to ensure patient safety, serious and fatal mistakes still occur due to a single misplaced decimal point, an incorrectly read order, or a dose (or type) of medication being administered to the wrong patient.
When these mistakes lead to serious legal issues, the risk of litigation is heightened and the nurse is put in a vulnerable position, both professionally and financially.
Mistakes with Routine Procedures
Nursing errors can involve mistakes with routine procedures such as mixing up medications, not properly monitoring vital signs, not providing proper hygiene or care, and failing to observe changes in a patient’s condition.
When these errors lead to severe harm or death, the nursing staff can face medical malpractice suits, as well as potential criminal charges. The medical staff at fault as well as the business can be financially liable for damages, fines, failure to meet the standard of care, and emotional distress.
Documentation Errors
When nursing mistakes lead to serious legal issues, documentation errors can be very costly and significantly more time-consuming. Documentation errors include missing information or incorrect entries in records or medical histories.
Poorly documented medical records can hinder patient care, lead to misinterpretation of data, and result in costly medical mistakes. In a legal setting, documentation errors can translate to deposition or trial testimony that is directly challenged or contradictive due to unclear or incomplete records.
Furthermore, nursing documentation errors can raise issues of negligence and cause damages to a patient or other involved parties if the medical records are incomplete or erroneous. To avoid these serious nursing mistakes, consider a peer review bias to help you out.
Explore These Nursing Mistakes to Avoid
In conclusion, medical mistakes can lead to serious legal issues. It’s up to healthcare providers like nurses to be conscious of their duties and the potential legal risks of their actions. Awareness and communication are key to reducing medical errors and litigation.
Patients and their families must speak up if they have any concerns or questions. Nurses must take the time to communicate and assess for any potential errors or risks. Taking these proactive steps may help limit legal issues arising from nursing mistakes.
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