Even Doctors Make Mistakes

Lauren Ellerman

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

I will admit, I make mistakes. Our new President admitted the second week in office he made a mistake (remember the issue of Daschle appointment - "I screwed up."). So, do doctors and nurses in Virginia ever make mistakes?

I think most would admit they do. Here are some examples of what we have seen in the last few years:

1. giving patient wrong medication / wrong dose of medication

2. not using a lift to move a patient

3. dropping patient from lift

4. failing to treat patient for UTI

5. allowing patient to become dehyrdated

6. Giving patient a medication despite known allergy

In the news we hear all the time about amputations of the wrong leg, etc. But these mistakes can be very costly. Someone gets a medication they are allergic to, and they could suffer complete organ failure and or die. Someone misses a medication, they could die. When physicians or nurses make mistakes, lets face it, the stakes are higher.

So shouldn't we help them more? Morse nurses at nursing homes? More physicians in the ED so 36 hour shifts are no longer normal?

If we could build a healthcare system where mistakes are NOT made, I would gladly find another job. Until them, when we put dollars before people (and yes, I mean staff too!) then mistakes will continue, and the consequences of physician errors in Virginia will continue to be great.

Contact me at lellerman@frithlawfirm.com if you have questions.