The attorneys at the Brannon Law Firm handle medical malpractice cases, including those involving nursing errors and mistakes. If you have been harmed by a nursing error or mistake you may be able to bring a claim for medical malpractice and/or medical negligence. It is in your benefit to seek out more information about your particular situation. Information on what nursing errors and mistakes are and what it might mean for you can be found below. Additionally, the medical malpractice attorneys at the Brannon Law Firm invite you to contact us, either at 937-228-2306 or 1-800-VERDICT for a free consultation to see if you have a claim for medical malpractice or medical negligence.
What are Nursing Errors and Mistakes?
A large portion of medical care is administered by nurses under the orders and supervision of doctors. In fact, many patients will interact with the nurse more than they will with the doctor. As such, it is just as important for nurses to follow the safety rules for patient care as it is for the doctors. A nursing error or mistake occurs when a nurse fails to follow the proper standards of medical care for a nurse, as opposed to the proper standard of medical care for a doctor. Some common examples of nursing duties include the following:
- Assessing and monitoring patient’s condition
- Making a nursing diagnosis related to the patient’s condition
- Planning and conducting appropriate nursing care, in relation to the nursing assessment and diagnosis
- Intervening, when appropriate, if the patient’s status or condition changes
- Evaluating the nursing care, diagnosis, and interventions, and making any new changes that may be necessary under the current circumstances
- Following the doctors orders for patient care
Consequences of nursing errors and mistakes can vary widely. Some errors may result in little or no harm to the patient, while others may cause severe injury, illness or death. What is important to understand about nursing errors and mistakes is that they are all preventable.
Medical and Legal Significance of Nursing Errors and Mistakes
While some patients may not realize it, doctors are not the only potential parties who can be sued for medical malpractice and medical negligence. Nurses can be held equally liable for medical malpractice and medical negligence when they fail to meet the standard of medical care applicable to nursing. Some examples of nurse malpractice include the following:
- Failing to properly monitor vital signs
- Failing to properly read and monitor test results
- Failing to properly follow a doctor’s orders or instructions
- Failing to ask for clarification on a doctor’s orders or instructions
- Failing to properly notify or report changes in a patient’s conditions
- Failing to properly prevent medical complications
- Failing to properly prevent patient injuries
- Failing to properly administer medication
- Failing to properly monitor for side effects or complications in relation to medication
- Failing to properly run or use medical equipment
Nursing Errors and Mistakes are different from the inherent risks that all patients generally face in an important way: if it were not for the error or mistake by the nurse, the harm would not have occurred at all.
Nursing Errors and Mistakes can cause significant harm in two different ways. First, nursing errors and mistakes can cause harm on their own. The duties performed by nurses are necessary and important. If these duties are not preformed properly, patients may be exposed to harm. For example, using medical equipment in an incorrect manner can cause injury to a patient. Second, nursing errors and mistakes can lead to more harm down the road. Many duties performed by nurses inform the actions of additional medical professionals. If the nursing duties are performed incorrectly, it may cause additional duties to be performed incorrectly as well. For example, failing to properly monitor vital signs may cause a nurse to give a bad recommendation to a doctor, preventing the doctor from not performing a lifesaving procedure.
Nurses play a crucial role in the care and treatment of patients. They have important duties and the care they provide can be vital to many patients survival. However, it is still the responsibility of nurses to follow the rules for patient safety in the administration of their duties. Failure to do so may be medical malpractice or medical negligence.
Seeking Legal Counsel and Guidance
If you have suffered an injury due to a nursing error or mistake you may have a claim for medical malpractice or medical negligence. The medical malpractice attorneys at the Brannon Law Firm have the skill and experience that is necessary to discover whether your health issues are a result of a nursing error or mistake. Medical malpractice and medical negligence is preventable. It is caused by the error, improper action, or lack of action by medical professionals. It is important to hold those medical professionals to the proper standards of care and to hold them accountable for the damages that they cause. The Brannon Law Firm can help hold those at fault accountable.
Additionally, your treatment may be difficult, both financially and emotionally. Efforts to fix or reverse the effects of a nursing error or mistake can be severe and long lasting, requiring additional medical treatment, loss of quality of life, loss of income and costly medical bills. It is important to ensure you have the assistance and care that you deserve to live the best life possible. The Brannon Law Firm can help with that process.
At the Brannon Law Firm, we have represented many individuals who were unfortunate victims of a nursing error or mistake. We have obtained favorable verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients in nursing error and mistake cases. We invite you to contact us, either at 937-228-2306 or 1-800-VERDICT for a free consultation to see if you have a claim for medical malpractice or medical negligence. The Brannon Law Firm is proud to serve clients in Dayton and throughout the State of Ohio.