Healthcare Workers Burnout Can Result in Medical Errors & Patient Harm
Burnout among doctors in the United States reached an all-time high. According to a 2019 Consensus Study Report by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), approximately 79 percent of primary care physicians suffer from work-related stress.
Unfortunately, NAM concluded that healthcare worker burnout could have a negative impact on a patient’s quality of care and ultimately medical malpractice. Hospitals generally contribute to this breach of care by reducing staff and maximizing each medical professional’s load or failing to hire and train skilled healthcare providers.
Common examples of medical mistakes resulting in a breach of care include:
Surgical errors
Inadequate monitoring after a surgery
Other technical medical errors.
Another Major Patient Safety Concern is Nurse Burnout
Nurses are the backbone of healthcare systems throughout the United States. They typically work 12-hour shifts and have excessive patient responsibilities despite often being short-staffed.
According to a 2019 National Nursing Engagement Report, emergency room nurses suffer from the highest risk for burnout. Approximately 50 percent of nurses reportedly felt exhausted in their current position (although there were no immediate plans for leaving their roles) and 56 percent believed that their employer was slightly or highly ineffective in helping staff address being overworked.
Nurses working in emergency rooms, critical care, oncology, and other high-stress areas report significant burnout. Additionally, approximately 25 percent of nurses in high-intensity work environments have left their positions because of burnout.
Although nurses often pick up extra shifts or otherwise receive overtime, they may not get enough rest in between days off, which could ultimately comprise patient care. Fatigue often may negatively affect a nurse's ability to focus and make decisions.
Common mistakes made by fatigued nurses include:
Administer the incorrect dose of medication
Administer the wrong medication
Failing to attend to a patient’s needs
Failing to recognize an emergency
Failing to contact a physician in an emergency
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury caused by medical malpractice in Weston, FL, contact Rash Mueller today at (954) 914-7116 for a free initial consultation.