Nurses and nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly more common as the primary providers of medical care in doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities. Perhaps it is not that surprising then to learn that malpractice claims against nurses are on the rise as well. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, licensed vocational nurses and nurse practitioners are all licensed professionals with legal and professional duties. RNs, LPNs, LVNs and NPs are each held to a standard of care corresponding to their level of education, training and the skill expected of someone in their profession. When nursing mistakes in Tampa wind up causing serious harm to a patient, the lawyers at Palmer | Lopez step in to hold nurses and hospitals accountable for the damage they have caused.
Facts about Nursing Malpractice
The majority of nursing malpractice claims in the U.S. tend to be filed against nurses who were trained outside of the country, who make up nearly ten percent or over 200,000 nurses practicing in the United States. The vast majority of claims are filed against nurses with 16 or more years of experience, although newer nurses with only a few years of experience tend to make more costly and serious errors.
Make no mistake that nursing malpractice can be a very serious form of malpractice; in fact, nearly half of all nursing malpractice claims are filed after the patient’s death. Nursing errors that result in patient injury take on many forms, including:
- Nurse provided a substandard quality of care
- Nurse failed to conduct a thorough and appropriate assessment of the patient
- Important medical history information was left out of the patient’s file
- The need for medical intervention was not identified due to nurse’s failure to assess
- Nurse delivers wrong medicine, wrong dosage or other medication error
- Nurse delivers an intravenous injection that should have been intramuscular, or vice versa
- Information from diagnostic testing or vital sign readings is recorded incorrectly
- Failure to monitor vital signs and report areas of concern during surgery
Nurses play a critical role in patient health in every medical setting, from the doctor’s office to the emergency room to the operating table. Not surprisingly then, nursing mistakes can be devastating to a patient’s health, causing significant harm or even death. It is not just nurses themselves who may be liable for nursing malpractice. Hospitals that fail to properly hire, train or supervise their nursing staff can also be liable for the harm caused by nursing mistakes. Make sure you hire an attorney with the resources and determination to take on corporate hospitals and their teams of lawyers to get you the compensation you deserve.
Find Out if You have a Nursing Malpractice Claim by Calling Palmer | Lopez in Tampa for a Free Consultation
When you are harmed or your condition worsens in a medical setting, it can be difficult to know the cause. Seek out the help of experienced Tampa nursing malpractice lawyer who are familiar with the wide range of medical errors that can occur, and who can investigate your situation and determine whether you have a claim for medical malpractice. In Tampa, call Palmer | Lopez at 813-506-5651 for a free consultation with a Tampa medical malpractice lawyer.
