Purpose Of Commenting In Class 506 Unit 4 Topic 2

Purpose Commentthe Discussion Class 506 Unit 4 Topic 2 Comment 1 Lc

Finding a defense to this case is challenging. There is definitely some negligence regarding the care Ms. Pinnelas received. I want to focus on the nursing standards of care for the patient. Mary Jones started the IV, but it was not clarified whether the IV site was used for fluids or medications prior to Jeffrey Chambers hanging the Mitomycin. The state of the IV's patency prior to administration is unknown. Since Mitomycin is a vesicant, proper IV placement and verification should have been performed before administering the medication through a peripheral line. Failing to verify IV patency could be considered negligent, as proper procedure emphasizes ensuring correct placement for vesicant medications (Westrick, 2014). The omission of this step in the facts raises concerns about adherence to standard nursing protocols, which is critical for patient safety.

Environmental and procedural factors also play a role. The nurse administering the Mitomycin, Jeffrey Chambers, was notably fatigued. Brown (2016) emphasizes that nurses bear the responsibility to assess their own fatigue levels before accepting or continuing patient assignments, especially beyond their scheduled hours. Fatigue can impair judgment and increase the risk of errors, including medication administration mistakes. When a nurse accepts responsibility for a patient, it indicates a professional judgment that they are fit to provide safe care; however, this personal decision is intertwined with organizational responsibilities.

The healthcare facility must ensure safe staffing levels and proper policies that promote healthy work hours and rest periods. In this case, the risk management team was aware of staffing issues for three months prior to the incident. This prolonged awareness should have prompted proactive measures to mitigate risks, such as adjusting staffing or providing additional support and education for floating staff. Risk management plays a vital role in preventing adverse events by scrutinizing staffing patterns and fostering a safety culture. According to Miller, Miginsky, and Connelly (2012), a comprehensive risk management program not only enhances patient safety but also reduces legal liabilities for healthcare organizations.

Effective policies should mandate regular assessments of staffing adequacy, clear protocols for floating personnel, and ongoing staff education about specific medication administrations. For example, training staff on the proper handling of vesicant drugs like Mitomycin can prevent extravasation injuries, which are devastating and often lead to malpractice claims. Moreover, fostering open communication between risk management and administration can lead to strategic staffing solutions tailored to patient acuity and workload demands. These measures collectively reinforce the organization's commitment to patient safety and professional accountability (Brown, 2016).

In conclusion, the negligence evident in this case underscores the necessity for multiple layers of safeguards within healthcare settings. Ensuring that IV sites are properly checked before administering vesicant drugs, promoting awareness of nurse fatigue, and implementing robust staffing and risk management policies are essential steps to prevent similar incidents. Healthcare organizations must prioritize patient safety through continuous quality improvement initiatives and staff education, aligning organizational practices with established nursing standards of care to reduce the risk of malpractice (Westrick, 2014; Miller et al., 2012).

References

• Brown, G. (2016). Averting malpractice issues in today’s nursing practice. The ABNF Journal, 25–27.
• Miller, V. B., Miginsky, C. S., & Connelly, N. C. (2012). The risk manager's contribution to patient safety and risk management in the ambulatory or physician practice setting. Journal of Healthcare Risk Management, 31(4), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1002/jhrm.20102
• Westrick, S. J. (2014). Essentials of nursing law and ethics (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.