Question

Research online and find a recent medical error that made the news. Answer the following questions. 1. What happened in the incident? 2. Who was involved? 3. What were the ramifications for the patient and/or staff? 4. Reflect on the incident and think about some causes and possible interventions that could have prevented the error.

Answer 1

On my search for recent medical error that happened and made a news, I came upon a news where the medical professional faced the error on himself/ herself.

1. In the incident, the person who suffered the incident was a pediatrician and he had suffered from anaphylaxis reaction and where he suffered from the incident of medical error where he was given medication from the wrong site and was readministered with the medication which became overdose.

2. The nurse who was attending the patient was involved in the medical error.

3. The ramifications that occured to the patient was:

- increased heart rate

- skipped heart beats

- crushing pain over chest, head, arms and legs

- unconsciousness

- headache, nausea and confusion

- elevation in cardiac protein

- mild, reversible heart damage

- palpitation and exhaustion

4. The cause for the incident here was due to neglect of the duty doctor as well as the nurse on proper medication rights. The medication right should be followed even during the emergency. The physician did not bother to inform the duty nurse about the proper dose, route etc whereas the nurse did not bother to consult the physician about the medication and it's route and dose.

It could have been prevented if the hospital management would have given proper continuation of education to its staff members every now and then. Then again the hospital should select the experienced nurse to be the incharge and handle the patient, also if the physician would have been a good leader he would have given proper command to all the members attending the patient. Also a good communication between the team members were lacking in this situation.