The medical field is one of the most sensitive industries. Since it deals with the human body, healthcare providers should be extra careful to keep patients safe. Unfortunately, medical errors can occur from the administration desk to the operating room. And some of them are termed “never events.”
Here is what you need to know about such errors:
Some Mistakes Are Simply Never Supposed To Happen
Never events are errors that should never happen because they are absolutely avoidable. Guidance recommendations, providing reliable systemic barriers for these errors, are available at a national level. Healthcare providers are well-trained in them, and any information they need is readily available. Thus, there is no room to make such errors.
Examples Of Never Events
No mistake should happen in a medical setting. However, some can be avoided and their effects can be life-threatening, hence fall under the never events category. Examples include:
- Surgical errors (a surgeon performing a procedure on the wrong patient, wrong site surgery, performing the wrong procedure and leaving a foreign object in someone)
- Product or drug mistakes (using contaminated tools/drugs)
- Protection issues (discharging a patient who can’t make decisions, patient disappearance and patient suicide/attempted or suicide)
- Care management issues (medication, procedural and communication errors.)
- Environmental events (electric shocks, burns, exposure to contaminated substances and use of restraints)
- Criminal issues (a patient being kidnapped, sexually abused, physically assaulted or receiving care from someone impersonating a health care provider)
These errors can lead to serious injuries or even death. Thys, they should never occur. Unfortunately, they do and can be more common than you may believe.
What Should You Do?
If you or your loved one experiences any of these medical errors, you should consider your options. With legal guidance, you may be able to receive the compensation you deserve to protect your rights or those of your loved one.