Different Medical Professionals That Can Commit Medical Malpractice
When they think about medical malpractice, many people think of doctors. Indeed, many medical malpractice cases involve doctors. However, apart from doctors, many other medical professionals can commit medical malpractice. It is crucial that people understand which medical professionals, other than doctors, can engage in medical malpractice. This article discusses which other medical professionals can engage in medical malpractice and the types of medical malpractice the different medical professionals can commit.
Medical Professionals That Can Commit Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals must be held liable for their actions or inactions when they commit medical negligence or malpractice. They must be held responsible for any resulting injuries and damages. However, the legal concept of medical malpractice is not limited to the conduct of medical doctors. This concept applies to a wide array of medical professionals, such as:
- Nurses
- Nursing assistants
- Physician assistants
- Pharmacists
- Nurse practitioners
Medical Mistakes That Nurses, Nursing Assistants, and Nursing Practitioners Can Make
The following are some of the medical mistakes that nurses and nursing assistants can make;
- Failing to properly monitor equipment
- Mistakes in administering medication
- Poor communication with doctors
- Failing to supervise patients properly
- Mishandling patients
- Not taking a patient’s symptoms seriously
- Failing to report a patient’s complaint to the doctor
- Failing to appropriately respond to a patient’s unique needs
- Improper documentation
- Disregarding risk management procedures
Medical Mistakes That Pharmacists Can Make
The following are some of the medical mistakes that pharmacists can make;
- Failing to warn a patient about the serious side effects of medication
- Prescribing the wrong dosage to a patient
- Prescribing the wrong medication to a patient
What Are the Reasons for These Errors?
So why do nurses, nursing assistants, nursing practitioners, and pharmacists make medical errors? The following are some of the reasons nurses, nursing assistants, nursing practitioners, and pharmacists make medical mistakes;
- Distraction: A distracted nurse, for example, can misread the label on a medication bottle and give the patient the wrong medication. Similarly, a distracted nurse may not notice an alarming reading on an electronic monitor.
- Lack of training: For instance, not knowing how a drug works or how various drugs interact with each other can cause problems. It is crucial for nurses, nursing assistants, nursing practitioners, and pharmacists to receive adequate training.
- Too much work: Research has shown that one of the most common causes of medication errors in nursing is tiredness due to increased workload. The more tired a medical professional is, the more the risk of inaccuracy.
- Incomplete patient information: If a nurse is unsure about a patient’s information, they should ask the doctor or cross-check with another nurse instead of taking a risk.
Contact an Atlanta Medical Malpractice Attorney
At Carroll Law Firm, we are committed to helping victims of medical malpractice and families of victims of medical malpractice hold negligent parties liable and recover the compensation they deserve. To speak to our Atlanta medical malpractice attorney, call 404-816-4555.
Source:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5016359/#:~:text=The%20results%20showed%20that%20the,drug%20calculation%2C%20(77.4%25
