Medical professionals have a duty to ensure that their patients are remaining as safe as possible. When a patient is having surgery, they are putting their full trust in every person in the operating suite. This complete trust is usually founded, but there are instances in which the patient suffers harm while on the operating table.
Surgical errors are often the result of human error. Some are due to recalled medical products. In all cases of errors during a surgery, the patient is the one who suffers. They might choose to seek compensation for the damages. One way that patients can remain safer is for surgical centers and hospitals in Florida and around the country to have protocols in place to reduce the risk of errors.
Culture of safety
People who work in the operating room must ensure that they are always focused on patient safety. There is no room to think about anything other than this priority while they are in the room or having any contact with the patient before or after the procedure.
The culture of safety also has to extend to training. There must be clear protocol about what is allowed and what isn’t. It is essential to have clearly documented safety guidelines, such as rules for counting surgical instruments and accounting for them after the procedure but before the patient’s incision is closed. They should also cover things like patient monitoring and every aspect of a specific procedure that might impact the patient.
Common errors in surgeries
Preventing surgical errors begins before the patient is ever brought to the operating room. Doing the wrong procedure, operating on the wrong site or taking the wrong patient to surgery are all issues that can be stopped by using a verification method. Typically, this can include asking the patient questions to ensure they are the person who is having surgery. They can also be asked to verify the type of surgery and the location of it.
In the operating room, having a team that works together is the most important thing. All surgical instruments and supplies must be accounted for. The patient must be closely monitored and a plan for addressing any issues must be in place. The staff should also watch for signs that the patient is suffering from nerve damage that is due to positioning problems.
For patients who are injured due to a surgical error, the recovery is likely going to be a long road. These patients have the option of seeking compensation from the liable parties. This reduces the financial impact which can be astronomical depending on the nature of what grave mistakes were made by one’s medical team.
