Just like a doctor, a nurse can be held accountable for medical errors or negligence that results in injury to their patients. This means that you can sue a healthcare provider who incompetently performs their medical duties. In fact, more than $87.5 million was paid for malpractice claims involving nursing professionals between 1997 and 2007.
Nursing malpractice happens when a nurse does not perform their duties in a way that a competent nurse in the same situation would have. This negligence can occur in numerous situations, such as:
- Failure to Assess & Monitor: Nurses have a duty to observe a patient’s ongoing health status and progress. They must accurately interpret and report a patient’s signs and symptoms. This can be the difference between life and death.
- Failure to Communicate: A nurse who notices something of concern but does not report it can be found liable for malpractice.
- Failure to Use Equipment in a Responsible Manner: You can make a malpractice claim against a nurse who injures a patient with a piece of medical equipment.
- Failure to Follow Standards of Care: Nurses are required to adhere to the accepted standards of the medical community. Failing to do so is grounds for a lawsuit.
- Failure to Document: Nurses have a duty to accurately document the nursing process, patient progress, and response to treatment. Not doing so puts them at risk for a malpractice claim.
- Failure to Act as a Patient Advocate: A nurse who does not adhere to doctor’s orders can be found guilty of medical malpractice. This includes medication errors.
How do I Establishing a Nurse’s Negligence?
There are 4 criteria used to establish negligence in medical malpractice cases:
- Standard of Care
- Breach of Duty
- Causation
- Damages
Have you been injured as the result of a nurse’s negligence? Contact our Indiana team of medical malpractice attorneys to schedule a consultation today.
