Category Archives: Medical errors

Tube Feeding Medical Errors

Many patients are unable to eat food when they are serious ill or injured. Nutrition may be given though a variety of tubes: • Intravenous tube which delivers high calorie intravenous nutrition • A naso gastric tube that is inserted … Continue reading

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Parenteral Nutrition Medical Errors

High calorie intravenous nutrition (total parenteral nutrition or TPN) is the only option for feeding if a patient’s gastrointestinal tract is not functioning. It consists of a potent mix of nutrients used for patients who need long term nutritional therapy. … Continue reading

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Medical errors: it only takes a moment

Medical errors and accidents can happen in a moment, and forever change a life. One night last year, my husband and I were driving separately down a dark road to our house. I was ahead of him. I heard a … Continue reading

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Too Sleep Impaired to Operate? by Guest Author L. Peter Fielding MD

“You promised. You promised me. I cannot wait any more,” the full term pregnant woman wailed. Her obstetrician replied, “I know you have been waiting, without food, for hours. We have worked hard to get this baby for you, and … Continue reading

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Adverse events in hospitals 10 times more common than known- part 1

A study released in early April 2011 compared three methods of detecting adverse events in hospitals. The first is voluntary reporting. This method depends on healthcare workers coming forward and admitting that an error has occurred. At a minimum, they … Continue reading

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How Hospitals Can Avoid Medication Errors – part 2

Many medication errors occur regularly at hospitals. The following steps can be taken by healthcare providers to avoid these medication errors. 1. Ensure that the medication sheet uses only approved abbreviations. Clarify with the prescribing doctor if any abbreviation that’s … Continue reading

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How Hospitals Can Avoid Medication Errors – part 1

Many medication errors occur regularly at hospitals. The following steps can be taken by healthcare providers to avoid these medication errors. 1. Healthcare workers should ensure that all medication orders are legible. 2. The patient’s name and medical record number … Continue reading

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Checklists promote patient safety

Several aviation safety procedures have already been adopted by healthcare. We have a lot to learn from the aviation industry. Are you nervous before you fly? Don’t be. Only one passenger per 10 million flights dies in a plane related … Continue reading

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Risks of early delivery

Don’t rush to delivery. That is the message to expectant parents as a result of a recent study of hospitals and known benefits of not delivering before the 39th week of pregnancy. Given that there are some medical indications for … Continue reading

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Alarm fatigue: When nurses do not respond to alarms

The nursing standard of care involves correctly applying, programming and responding to critical alarms on medical equipment. A recent article by the Boston Globe highlights one of the dangers of high intensity nursing today – not responding to alarms. Alarms … Continue reading

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