Medical Negligence Case Study

Introduction

Patient Safety

Christopher Hammett underwent disc replacement of the L5-S 1 joint (lumbosacral joint) on the 22 of April 2005 in Pacific Private Hospital. According to Coroner Hutton (2012) “The operation itself was uneventful and took about 53 minutes” and he’s oxygen levels were maintained at 99%. Once the operation was complete, Mr Hammett was extubated and transferred to the Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU) where he was under the care of two registered Nurses, Nicholas Turrell and Christine Proud. He was then discharged from PACU to the accommodation ward later that evening (Hutton, 2012).

As Mr Hammett was being transferred from the Operating Theatre (OT) to PACU, “he suffered a significant oxygen desaturation event” (Hutton, 2012). His oxygen

Whereas, medical negligence is where a healthcare professional has a duty of care to maintain the safety and wellbeing of patients, and to ensure quality health service is provided (Legal Services Commission, 2013). Medical Negligence can also be referred to as medical malpractice. In any given circumstance, anyone can be accused of negligence, but is a healthcare professional fails to meet minimum professional standard of care, they can be accused of medical malpractice (Bailie & Black, 2015, p 103). In order for nurse negligence to occur, there needs to be a breach in the nurse’s duty of care that results in harm towards the patient (Atkins, Britton & de Lacey, 2014). Nurses can be negligent both in an act (what they do) or omission (fail to do). This can be determined by asking; did the nurse have a duty of care to the patient? Did they breached this duty of care? was the patient harmed? And was the harm foreseeable? In order to determine negligence, all four elements for negligence must be met (Atkins et al,