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Overview of Nursing Errors (Part B)

Nursing Errors with Medication

One of the more common types of nursing errors is with medication. Not only are there mistakes made with dispensing the right kind of medicine or the right dosage but in regulating the flow of medicine as well.

Infusion pumps help to regulate medicine given to patients and nursing errors in operating these pumps has led to cases of serious injury and death. Mistakes with infusion pumps could be the result of improper training, being in a rush, or inattention.

The most common reason for error with an infusion pump is entering the wrong numbers. In fact, it is so common that nurses have given it a name, "death by decimal." Just one mistake with a number or decimal can result in serious consequences.

Nursing Errors with Monitoring Patients

Another common type of nursing error is failing to properly monitor a patient. Many times, nurses fail to hear alarms on medical equipment-such as respirators-that is attached to patients. This can lead to serious injuries or even death.

Some patients have experienced heart attacks and strokes while an alarm is sounding but nurses have failed to hear and respond. The most common reasons for these types of nursing errors are understaffing and nurses having too many patients on their caseload. "Hospital alarm fatigue" is another common phenomenon in which medical personnel are exposed to so many alarms and alerts throughout their shift that they begin to recede into the background.

Preventing Nursing Errors

Like most cases of Chicago medical malpractice or medical negligence in Illinois, most nursing errors could be prevented with extra training, adherence to protocol and adequate staffing. While the nation has experienced a well-publicized shortage of trained nurses in recent years, it is still the duty of the medical facility to ensure that they have enough staff to meet patient needs. And certainly, it is the duty of every nurse to ensure that they are taking measures to preserve a high level of care for their patients.

If you have suffered an injury or illness because of a nursing error, you should contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney who has experience handling nursing error cases similar to yours.

Contacting a Chicago Medical Malpractice Attorney

At the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C, our Chicago medical malpractice attorney team will examine all aspects of your claim, determine liability, and aggressively pursue the full amount of compensation due to you or your loved one for any injuries or loss of life due to medical malpractice. Contact us today for a free case evaluation - 312-263-1080.

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