Nurses have an obligation to provide proper care to their patients in New Mexico. When they don’t, they can put their patients at risk of serious harm. Unfortunately, many patients don’t know when they’ve suffered nursing malpractice. Here are four common causes of nursing malpractice to watch for should you be a patient in a medical setting.
Inadequate infection control
Infection control is an important part of the healthcare profession, especially where nurses are concerned. When nurses fail to follow proper infection control methods, infections can spread from patient to patient. Some infections can include surgical site infections and bloodstream infections. Unfortunately, nursing-related infections can become fatal.
Improper documentation
Medical charts contain all the vital information about the care a patient receives. Doctors and nurses make notes in those patient charts. Proper charting can prevent malpractice.
When nurses fail to maintain accurate records, mistakes can be made. Unfortunately, those mistakes can have dire consequences for patients. In fact, inadequate charting can interfere with proper treatment and can cause signs and symptoms to be overlooked.
Medication Errors
Prescription medication errors can increase the risk of nursing malpractice. Prescription errors can occur when nurses fail to confirm information before dispensing medication.
Nurses may also fail to confirm that medication is being dispensed to the right patient. Medication errors can lead to allergic reactions, over-medicating and drug interaction.
Negligence
Negligence is another issue that can lead to nursing malpractice. Negligence can lead to serious accidents and injuries. Without proper nursing supervision, patients can fall. When that happens, injuries like broken bones and traumatic brain injuries can occur.
While it isn’t common, nursing malpractice does happen. If you or a loved one are a victim of nursing malpractice, you should seek compensation immediately.
