Many people throughout Ohio work in the nursing profession. An experienced nurse provides adequate care with compassion. Unfortunately, that’s only sometimes what happens. While working in the life-saving medical field is admirable, nurses make mistakes like anyone else.
How common are errors by nurses?
The insurance company Coverys recently wanted to analyze the number of medical malpractice claims involving nurses. Specifically, Coverys researchers wanted to learn what, if any, impact the past few years had on the nursing profession. It’s important to note that nurses were involved in only 18% of malpractice claims looked at compared to physicians, who were responsible for 50% of claims.
Looking through its data, Coverys found that nurses were responsible for 850 out of 4,634 medical negligence claims from 2018 to 2021. Of these claims, 37% of them resulted in death. An additional 10% of these claims led to a significant disability, including vision loss and paraplegia.
What were the leading causes of nursing errors?
Coverys reported that patient monitoring was the leading cause of nursing malpractice claims, leading to 45% of malpractice cases. This aspect of nursing involves managing a patient’s pain or discomfort. It also includes closely monitoring a patient’s vital signs. The next most common cause of nursing malpractice claims involved medication errors. This type of error can occur when a nurse gives a patient not enough medication, too much medication or the wrong medication. The other two leading causes of nursing malpractice involved patient falls and pressure injuries at 14% and 10%, respectively.
The study highlights the need for nurses to receive adequate training and equipment to effectively care for their patients. It’s also essential for nurses to speak up about any problems within their medical facilities.