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A man suffering from a blockage in the main artery of his leg underwent femoral bypass surgery at a local hospital. Although he suffered from a disease causing a reduction in his normal blood flow, medical staff failed to determine whether the mans underlying condition would prevent him from undergoing surgery. After surgery, the nursing staff inadvertently administered 10 times the amount of heparin ordered, which caused him to bleed excessively. During a second procedure to determine the cause of the bleeding, the nursing staff administered a toxic dose of heparin, and the man died soon thereafter. After filing suit, the plaintiff settled with the hospital and physicians for $2.5 million.
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A feeding tube was improperly inserted into a minister who was recovering from surgery. This led to an extended hospitalization and post discharge vocal cord and lung problems. At trial, he was awarded $70,000, and his wife $30,000, a total verdict of $100,000.
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Educating your staff is an ongoing challenge, but one hospital has found that patient safety packets with practical, goal-oriented information can be especially effective in helping reduce falls and other hazards.
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Detail always is good. More detail always is better. Thats the rule of thumb when it comes to documentation, according to a medical malpractice defense attorney with Meagher & Geer in Minneapolis.
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Many of the confidential comments from the VHA study concerning disruptive behavior concerned nurses who were afraid to call physicians at home because they knew the doctor would be angry. But thats not always because the doctor is a jerk, researchers say.
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Personal conflicts are inevitable among co-workers. So why should a risk manager get involved? Consider the following examples of how those conflicts directly affected patient safety. These are real responses to a confidential survey.
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Thomson American Health Consultants has developed an influenza sourcebook to ensure you and your hospital are prepared for what could happen this flu season or the next.
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Question: What is our obligation under EMTALA when a patient leaves the emergency department after screening but before treatment is complete?
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Twenty patients died in Minnesota hospitals over 15 months from medical errors or oversights, according to a new report released recently by the state health department.