Bridgeport, Connecticut Nursing Error Lawyers

Attorneys Helping Patients Injured Due to Negligence by Nurses in Bridgeport

Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system. They often spend more direct time with patients than any other healthcare providers. They administer medications, monitor vital signs, provide wound care, assist with mobility, coordinate with physicians, and serve as the first line of defense in identifying complications. When nurses perform their duties correctly, they can catch problems early and prevent patients from suffering serious harm. However, when nursing errors occur, the consequences for patients can be severe.

Nursing errors are not always the fault of individual nurses. Many mistakes occur because of systemic problems at hospitals or other healthcare facilities. The medical malpractice lawyers at Tremont Sheldon P.C. can help patients who have suffered harm due to nursing errors. We work to ensure that our clients will be properly compensated for injuries suffered while receiving medical care.

Common Types of Nursing Errors

Medication administration errors are among the most frequent nursing mistakes. Nurses may give patients the wrong medication, administer incorrect doses, or provide medications to the wrong patients. These errors may occur during multiple stages of the medication process. Nurses may misread handwritten prescriptions or computer orders. They may fail to check a patient's identification before administering drugs. They may miss allergies listed in patient charts. The results can include adverse drug reactions, overdoses, worsening of conditions, or dangerous interactions between medications.

Failure to monitor patients properly can lead to missed warning signs. Nurses must check patients' vital signs regularly, observe for changes in status, and respond to alarms. When nurses skip monitoring rounds, fail to document observations, or do not recognize changes in vital signs, the health of a patient can deteriorate rapidly. Heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failures may go unnoticed until irreversible damage has occurred.

Documentation issues can create gaps in patient records that may lead to errors by other healthcare providers. When nurses do not document medications that have been administered or changes in a patient's condition, physicians and other nurses will not have the information they need to make the correct treatment decisions. Incomplete or inaccurate records can result in duplicate medication doses, missed treatments, or delayed responses to complications.

Infection control issues can allow preventable infections to spread. Nurses who do not wash their hands between patients, use improper sterile techniques during procedures, or fail to maintain clean environments may expose patients to dangerous pathogens. Healthcare-associated infections, including surgical site infections or catheter-related infections, can cause serious complications that may extend hospital stays. In some cases, infections can lead to sepsis or other fatal complications.

Falls and patient handling errors can occur when nurses do not use the correct safety measures. Patients who are at risk for falls may need bed alarms, assistance with mobility, and careful supervision. When nurses fail to assess fall risks or do not take the proper precautions, patients suffer injuries such as hip fractures or head trauma.

Failure to advocate for patients is another type of nursing error that can lead to injuries. Nurses serve as patient advocates, and they should question orders that seem inappropriate, alert physicians to concerning changes, and ensure that patients receive the necessary care. When nurses fail to speak up about problems they observe, or when they do not address concerns with physicians, patients may receive inadequate or dangerous treatment.

Why Nursing Errors Occur

Understaffing is one of the most significant factors that can lead to nursing errors. When hospitals do not employ enough nurses, those who are working may need to care for too many patients at the same time. Overworked nurses may be unable to provide the attention each patient requires. They may rush through tasks, skip safety checks, or fail to notice subtle changes in patient conditions. These issues can lead to medication errors, infections, patient falls, and other injuries.

Fatigue from long shifts can affect a nurse's performance. 12-hour shifts are common in many hospitals and medical facilities, and mandatory overtime may require nurses to work for 16 hours or longer. Mental and physical exhaustion can affect a nurse's attention, reaction times, and judgment. Fatigued nurses may make mistakes they would not make when well-rested.

Inadequate training can leave nurses unprepared for complex situations. New graduates will need thorough orientation and mentoring to develop clinical skills. Nurses who transfer to new units or specialties may require training on unfamiliar equipment, medications, and protocols. When hospitals provide minimal training or expect nurses to learn on the job without adequate support, mistakes can be inevitable.

Defective or inadequate equipment can also contribute to nursing errors. Malfunctioning IV pumps that deliver incorrect medication doses, broken patient lifts that increase the risk of falls during transfers, and outdated monitoring systems that do not alert nurses to problems can create dangerous conditions. Hospitals that do not maintain equipment properly or provide sufficient quantities of necessary supplies may force nurses to improvise in ways that compromise the safety of patients.

Determining Liability for Nursing Errors

Multiple parties may be held responsible for nursing errors that cause patients to suffer harm, including:

• Individual Nurses: A person may be held directly liable for their own negligent acts. When a nurse makes medication errors, fails to follow the proper procedures, or does not provide care that meets accepted standards, they may be responsible for malpractice.
• Employers: Facilities that employ nurses may be responsible for actions taken by their employees. Since nurses work at the direction of hospitals and carry out hospital functions, facilities may be held liable for errors that cause harm to patients.
• Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities: Hospitals are required to maintain adequate staffing levels, provide proper training and supervision, supply necessary equipment and resources, and follow safety protocols. When hospitals fail in these duties, and patients are harmed as a result, a facility may be held liable.
• Nursing Agencies: Employers that provide temporary nurses to healthcare facilities may share liability when nurses make errors. Agencies are required to verify credentials and provide appropriately trained nurses to fill assignments. If an agency sends unqualified nurses or fails to properly vet temporary staff, it may be liable for patient injuries that occur as a result.
• Equipment Manufacturers: If defective medical devices or equipment contributed to nursing errors, manufacturers may share liability for patient injuries. Product liability claims may be filed in addition to malpractice claims against nurses and medical facilities.

Identifying all liable parties will require a thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding nursing errors. Our legal team will examine employment relationships, hospital policies, staffing records, training documentation, and equipment maintenance logs to identify everyone who shares responsibility for the harm a patient has suffered.

Assistance for Nursing Error Victims

In medical malpractice cases based on nursing errors, our lawyers can take steps to demonstrate that care fell below accepted standards and caused a person to suffer harm. We will review medical records documenting the nursing care a person received. These records may include nursing notes, medication administration records, and incident reports. We will look for gaps in documentation, missed assessments, and evidence of inadequate monitoring or care.

Our team will consult with nursing professionals who can provide opinions about whether medical care met the accepted standards. These experts can explain what competent nurses would have done differently and how proper care would have prevented a person's injuries. Their testimony can establish that negligence occurred.

We will investigate hospital staffing levels and working conditions at the time of an injury. Staffing records, nurse schedules, and other data can reveal whether too few nurses were caring for too many patients. Evidence of chronic understaffing can support claims of corporate negligence.

Our attorneys will document the full extent of the damages a patient suffered. We can address medical expenses for treating complications caused by nursing errors, lost income during extended recovery, pain and suffering from preventable injuries, and any permanent disabilities resulting from inadequate care.

Contact Our Bridgeport, CT Nursing Error Attorneys

Nursing errors can cause harm to patients who deserve to receive competent, attentive care. Whether these mistakes involve individual negligence or systemic failures by healthcare facilities, the attorneys at Tremont Sheldon P.C. can help victims hold the responsible parties accountable. Contact our Bridgeport nursing malpractice lawyers at 203-335-5145 to arrange a free consultation.