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Common anesthesia mistakes and errors

On Behalf of | Jun 23, 2017 | Medical Malpractice

Anesthesia is an important part of the medical industry. It is used to sedate patients prior to a procedure or a surgery. It helps the patient’s body relax and calm down and the patient to sleep during the procedure. When anesthesia is incorrectly administered, or not administered at all, it could be the sign of medical malpractice in Maryland.

One of the most common mistakes made with anesthesia occurs when improper training or experience is involved. Believe it or not, there are many technicians out there who do not receive the proper training for administering anesthesia. Many of these people receive on the job training that is not adequate enough to ensure that patients will not be harmed during their procedures or surgeries.

Poor communication can also lead to anesthesia errors or mistakes in a doctor’s office or hospital. Poor communication occurs when an anesthesiologist does not receive clear instructions from a doctor or a nurse about what needs to be administered to a patient. It can also happen when personalities clash, leading to the anesthesiologist ignoring orders or even failing to hear what he or she is being told. Poor communication could also cause the anesthesiologist to miss the description of the patient, such as his or her weight and history with anesthesia.

Many anesthesia errors occur when the anesthesiologist fails to read the patient’s chart or other medical paperwork. A patient’s chart includes important information that can prevent an allergic reaction or other medical condition from occurring. It lists medications that cannot be administered. It could also note if a patient should not be administered anesthesia because if he or she does receive it, it could cause a stroke or a heart attack.

If you or a loved one has been injured by the medical malpractice of a doctor or nurse involving anesthesia, contact our firm in Baltimore, Maryland, to speak about your case and how you can obtain compensation for injuries incurred.

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