We help victims throughout the state of Indiana.

What Are Some Common Errors Made in Emergency Rooms?

Apr 12, 2018 | Doctor Errors, Firm News

If you have a medical emergency in Indianapolis, your first thought may be to go to a local emergency room. You, like many other people who go to emergency rooms, expect to receive a certain level of care for their medical concerns. However, emergency rooms are staffed with doctors and nurses who are people just like you and likely to make mistakes. 

Emergency rooms are fast-paced. Doctors and nurses see numerous patients each day. They work long hours and are under a lot of stress. According to MSU Today, increased levels of stress lead to an increase in near-miss events and errors. When health care workers make mistakes, they put the health and safety of their patients at risk. In order to reduce the chances of you becoming a malpractice victim, learn about a few common errors that occur in urgent health care settings. 

Medication errors 

Many patients require medications to improve their conditions and manage their health. They do not always receive the right medications and dosages. Medication label and patient mix-ups, improper administration techniques and the delivery of wrong doses often lead to adverse reactions and in some cases cause death. 

Unnecessary procedures 

Doctors rely on patients’ accounting of symptoms and health complaints to determine which medical tests and procedures are necessary. When health care workers do not thoroughly investigate health and medication histories or perform research to recommend the right procedures, they risk misdiagnosing, delaying and not providing treatment and administering the wrong medications. 

Even with preventative measures, doctor errors are not always preventable. However, adequate patient-to-staff ratios, better communication, and proper care-delivery processes in emergency rooms and health care settings can reduce the number of mistakes that happen.

Archives