Medical errors occur in nursing homes more frequently than you might think. While the majority of these errors are accidents, this is not an excuse for having them occur. Many different things can lead to medical errors – unqualified staff members, miscommunication among nursing home employees, improper procedures, etc. If you suspect that your loved one experienced a medical error, watch out for these 10 signs and discuss the situation with your loved one.
1. Admittance of Misdiagnosis
If a nurse or a doctor talks to you about your loved one’s condition and admits that they made a mistake in the diagnosis, this constitutes a medical error. Most doctors will not outright admit that they have made a mistake, but some doctors will hint at this fact if you question them and they don’t know how to respond. Consider this scenario if you suspect a medical error.
2. Admittance of Mistreatment
Again, staff members of a nursing home won’t always come out and say that they have made a mistake in treating your loved one. However, if you learn of improper supervision of treatment, unqualified employees providing medication or treatment, or any other treatment mistakes, this is a medical error.
3. Adverse Affect of Treatment or Diagnosis
Diagnosis and subsequent treatment should help patients. If a diagnosis or treatment option only makes your loved one worse, a medical error may have occurred.
4. Breach of Duty of Care
All nursing home employees have a duty of care toward your loved one and each resident of the home. Breach of this duty could result in a medical error. You can discuss this possibility with a lawyer.
5. Infection
Improper treatment or diagnosis could result in the worsening of your loved one’s symptoms. For example, your loved one could develop an infection if they do not receive proper treatment.
6. Negligence
If your loved one’s medical treatment is ignored by staff members at a nursing home, a medical error is likely to occur.
7. Poor Communication
Many medical errors are the result of poor communication among staff members. Make sure that everyone communicates when it comes to your loved one’s treatment.
8. Poor Resident and Staff Communication
The staff members are not the only people should be communicating openly. Your loved one needs to be honest with the staff about symptoms or issues, and the staff members need to take these conversations seriously.
9. Sudden Change in Diagnosis
A sudden change in your loved one’s diagnosis could indicate that an error was made the first time.
10. Sudden Change in Treatment
A sudden change in your loved one’s treatment could indicate that an error was made the first time.
Medical errors should be taken seriously by your family and the nursing home staff. For more information, an attorney can help.
