Nurse Negligence

Recognizing Nurse Negligence

Many individuals may associate medical negligence with the doctor, but the fact of the matter is that nurse negligence is far more common than people realize. Nurses work side by side with doctors, and can sometimes be as culpable as physicians should they negligently perform their duties.

Nurse negligence can occur in a variety of ways. Nurses are often responsible for filling out a great deal of information included in patient charts. Nurses can also be liable for the medications that have been given to the patient, as they are often the ones administering the medicine. Nurses are in charge of taking the vital signs of every patient and recording them accurately. Clearly, there are many duties that a nurse must perform, and there is not any room for negligence.

Many surgery accidents are created as a result of negligence on someone’s part. In a surgery situation, it is the nurse’s responsibility to keep track of the patient’s vital signs, as well as handing the doctors the proper surgical instruments, just to name a few duties. If negligence occurs during a surgery, there can be detrimental damage to the patient.

The duties of the nurse do not stop after surgery. They continue during post operation as well. A nurse must make sure that the incision areas are flushed out (if needed) and cleaned properly. They must make sure that the incisions do not become infected and are healing in the correct manner. Should there be negligence during the recovery stage, there may be infections that can arise, as well as the liability that they are held responsible. The nurse must also make sure that you, the patient, are receiving the correct amount of medication and at the right times. An overdose or lapse in medication can cause great damage within the body. With all of the responsibilities that nurses are in charge of, they are held highly responsible for any and all accident that may occur as a result of negligence.

Nurses are indeed the backbone to a doctor, and are often there when the doctor can not be. Negligence is a situation that can be remedied in a prompt manner. You may be entitled to financial compensation for your pain and suffering, but if you hesitate the statute of limitations in your state could end your case before it has a chance to begin. Contact our dedicated and professional nurse malpractice attorneys today.