Negligence refers to a care that is provided and it is well below the standard (Sohn, 2013). A patient developing an allergic reaction from a medication given that is not stated. This is an adverse effect however; the nurse failing to check the chart and notify the prescribing physician of a stated allergy and administering the medication clearly constitutes negligence.

Introduction

Negligence in healthcare refers to a breach of duty by a healthcare professional that results in harm or injury to a patient. It occurs when the level of care provided by the healthcare professional falls below the established standard of care. This paper will analyze a specific case of negligence in healthcare involving a nurse’s failure to check a patient’s medical chart for allergies before administering medication.

Understanding Negligence in Healthcare

Negligence is a legal concept that is applicable in various fields, including healthcare. In the context of healthcare, negligence occurs when a healthcare professional fails to provide the care that a reasonable, prudent healthcare professional with similar training and experience would provide in similar circumstances (Sohn, 2013). Negligence may result in harm, injury, or even death to a patient.

In order to establish negligence in a healthcare setting, four key elements must be present. These elements include the existence of a duty of care, a breach of that duty, causation, and damages. When these elements are proven, the healthcare professional may be held liable for their actions or lack thereof.

The Case of Negligence: Failure to Check Medical Chart for Allergies

In the case at hand, a nurse failed to check a patient’s medical chart for allergies before administering a medication. The patient subsequently developed an allergic reaction to the medication. This failure to check the chart and notify the prescribing physician constituted negligence. To understand why this action qualifies as negligence, it is necessary to consider each of the four elements of negligence.

1. Existence of a Duty of Care

The first element of negligence is the existence of a duty of care. In healthcare, a duty of care refers to the obligation of healthcare professionals to provide treatment and care that meets the accepted standard of practice. In this case, the nurse had a duty of care towards the patient to ensure their safety and well-being by following proper protocols and procedures.

2. Breach of Duty

The second element of negligence is a breach of duty. This occurs when a healthcare professional fails to meet the standard of care expected of them. In this case, the nurse breached their duty of care by failing to check the patient’s medical chart for allergies before administering the medication. This failure to adhere to established protocols and procedures constitutes a breach of duty.

3. Causation

The third element of negligence is causation. Causation refers to the connection between the breach of duty and the harm suffered by the patient. In this case, the nurse’s failure to check the patient’s medical chart for allergies directly caused the patient to develop an allergic reaction to the medication. The breach of duty directly led to the harm suffered by the patient.

4. Damages

The fourth element of negligence is damages. Damages refer to the harm or injury suffered by the patient as a result of the healthcare professional’s breach of duty. In this case, the patient suffered an allergic reaction to the medication, which could have been avoided if the nurse had checked the medical chart for allergies. Therefore, the patient has suffered damages as a result of the nurse’s negligence.

Legal Implications of Negligence in Healthcare

When negligence occurs in healthcare, it can have significant legal implications. The injured patient or their family may choose to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against the negligent healthcare professional. In such cases, the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff to demonstrate that negligence occurred and caused harm or injury.

Conclusion

As demonstrated in this analysis, the nurse’s failure to check the patient’s medical chart for allergies before administering medication constitutes negligence. Through the examination of the four elements of negligence, namely the existence of a duty of care, a breach of that duty, causation, and damages, it is evident that the nurse’s actions or lack thereof meet the criteria for negligence in healthcare. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to uphold the standard of care expected of them to ensure patient safety and well-being.