Nurses are often the first provider seen by patients, particularly in the hospital setting. Unfortunately, nurses make mistakes that cause serious harm or death. These mistakes can include failing to properly monitor a patient post-operatively, failing to give necessary medication, failing to prevent a patient from falling, and failing to properly communicate important clinical findings to doctors and other nurses.
In spite of our apparent prosperity, mothers die in childbirth at greater rates in the United States than in any other developed nation.
A recent Consumer Reports article describes a link between respectful treatment by health care works and fewer preventable medical errors. Unfortunately the converse is true: disrespectful doctors and nurses make more medical errors causing harm.
Causation can be a very difficult, and sometimes insurmountable, hurdle in bringing a successful claim alleging a delay in diagnosing a condition.