Many hospitals and medical centers will use call lights or bells. A patient who needs assistance can push a button or pull a string and it alerts the nursing staff. They can then respond to find out what the patient needs. It could be everything from needing more...
Anesthesia errors can lead to serious personal injuries
When a patient is set to undergo a major medical procedure, they will most often be put under anesthesia. With proper administration, anesthesia makes procedures like amputations, tooth extraction and major surgeries possible. But to err is human – and anesthesia...
The nursing shortage directly impacts patient care
Nurses are a first line of care for patients in the hospital. It’s crucial to patient care for hospitals to have adequate staffing throughout each shift. Anything less can compromise patient safety. A nursing shortage can potentially put you at risk in several ways....
5 common medical errors in the United States
When patients need surgery or other medical procedures or get a prescription medication, they expect everything to go well. Unfortunately, medical errors do happen, and they happen often. According to research, as many as 251,000 patients in America die each year due...
Can mining patient health records mitigate error rates?
For several years, the media has been reporting on just how prevalent and consequential medical errors are in the U.S. As a result of the patient safety challenges facing the healthcare industry, it is a tough time to be someone who is in need of care. Therefore,...
What is medical misdiagnosis, and how does it happen?
Cases involving medical missteps can have far-reaching consequences. If you sustain injuries courtesy of the healthcare provider’s mistake, you may be eligible for compensation for the resulting economic and non-economic damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit. ...
Doctors face a high level of burnout
Doctor burnout has always been a bit of a problem. When doctors feel overwhelmed and burned out, they may feel disillusioned or emotionally exhausted. This can have an impact on their performance. After all, when you meet with a physician, you expect them to be alert...
When can you sue a hospital for medical negligence?
If you are hurt or taken ill, you trust that a visit to the doctor’s office is all it will take to receive the treatment you need so you can get back on your feet and carry on with your life. And this is what happens most of the time. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon...
Why a doctor’s apology isn’t enough for a malpractice claim
If it seems like more doctors are apologizing to patients and their families for their errors or negligence, it’s because they are. That’s not necessarily because doctors feel a greater sense of personal responsibility than they used to. Many states across the country...
What is hospital-acquired delirium?
Most people are familiar with HAIs, which can stand for hospital-acquired infections or healthcare-associated infections. Fewer are aware of something called “hospital-acquired delirium.” In fact, they’re often not aware that this is what a loved one is suffering....