Patients here in Texas who need surgery put a great deal of trust in their health care providers. The majority of the time, patients are fully unconscious during surgery and therefore in a very vulnerable position. They rely not only on the expertise of the surgeon and nurses, but also that of the anesthesiologists who participate in the surgery. Anesthesia is a vital component of a surgery and if it is not administered properly, the consequences can be dire. Surgical errors due to incorrect levels or types of medication should never happen, and they can be devastating when they do.
Before computers, monitoring the needed medication for an entire hospital was a difficult job as it was entirely manual. The advancement of technology greatly improved a hospital pharmacy’s ability to both track and administer needed medication, including anesthesia for surgeries. A surgery is often a high-stress situation for those involved and there is no room for mistakes. However, this stress sometimes means that health care providers may turn to coping mechanisms that are less than ideal, including abusing drugs. There are instances where the easiest means for them to obtain drugs is by taking them from the very patients who need them.
The risks associated with a health care provider abusing drugs are twofold. First, the addiction may impair the provider’s ability to properly perform his or her job, and second, taking medication from a patient can have a dire impact on that patient’s condition. Automated systems can help prevent the latter problem at least, as well as decrease the chance of a mistake during surgery. However, the risks to patients never disappear entirely.
A surgical error can cause serious injury to patient that may require extensive, or even life-long, care. In some cases, patients can even die from these kinds of medical mistakes. For those here in Texas who have been affected by an error during surgery, it may be a good idea to file a medical malpractice claim against any responsible parties. An experienced attorney can advise those who have questions regarding the process.