Examples of Nurse Negligence

Negligence occurs when a nurse performs an act that is deemed below a competence level that is expected of someone in their position. Consequences to the nurse can range from suspension or firing to malpractice suits and loss of license. Neglect can be intentional or unintentional and can occur for many different reasons.

Charting

• Failing to record vital information on the patient's chart can be considered negligent, especially if it results in further damage. For example, you notice a small, open sore on your patient's tail bone and plan to make a note in his chart but you get busy and forget. The sore becomes infected, causing unnecessary suffering for the patient and a possible malpractice suit against you. It's important for nurses to chart everything right away to avoid situations such as this.

Diagnosing Errors

• When you write a diagnosis, you are responsible for following through with interventions. If you diagnose a patient with risk for suicide but fail to take reasonable measures to prevent that risk from becoming a reality, you can be found guilty of neglect. Failing to prioritize diagnoses based on severity and highest level of risk to the patient is also considered neglect. If your patient has breathing problems but you choose to focus on self-esteem issues, you are neglecting to prioritize. Although both are legitimate diagnoses, difficulty breathing is an immediate threat and needs to be taken care of before other less serious issues.

Doctor's Orders

• Failing to follow a doctor's orders can be grounds for malpractice if it results in damage to the patient. However, following orders that you know can harm the patient is also neglect. For example, the doctor orders blood pressure medication for a patient. You notice your patient's blood pressure is a little lower than normal, but it is time for his medication so you give it to him. That patient's pressure plummets and he nearly dies. Although you were following doctor's orders, you can still be held responsible for the damage because you didn't call the doctor and question the order when you knew it could cause harm.

Confirming Patient Identity

• Before giving a patient medication or performing a medical procedure, you must be sure you have the right patient. If you unintentionally give the wrong medication to a patient because you failed to confirm their identity and harm comes to that patient, you will be held accountable. Most hospitals have procedures in place to avoid these mistakes, such as asking a patient to state their name and scanning a bracelet with a code unique to that patient.

Intentional Neglect

• Many cases of neglect result from poor planning and other unintentional errors in judgment, but sometimes a nurse knows she is doing something wrong and chooses to do it anyway. Ignoring a patient because you don't like them, neglecting to change their sheets after they have an accident because you feel it is the nurse assistant's job or leaving a patient in restraints longer than recommended because it is more convenient are all forms of blatant, intentional neglect.