4-3 Case Study: Claims of Negligence Southern New Hampshi, Lecture notes of Accounting

Download 4-3 Case Study: Claims of Negligence Southern New Hampshi and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! 1 4-3 Case Study: Claims of Negligence Southern New Hampshire University IHP 420: Ethical & Legal Considerations In the case study presented, a 46-year-old man was involved in an automobile accident and was alert and coherent to answer questions. He was taken my emergency personnel to the emergency room and was given by the ER physician 15 milligrams of morphine through his IV. The patient however needed a blood transfusion, but he refused. After several hours of being 2 observed in the emergency room, he was transferred to a medical-surgical unit for observation. The next day he was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead. After his death it was found that the patient had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. It was founded that he did heroin and was drinking heavily the night of the accident. While in the ER, this information was not disclosed to the medical staff who tended to him after his accident. Years later, the patient’s estate is suing the physician for medical malpractice. When considering the elements in this case for malpractice, we need to look at the typical practices of emergency rooms. It is critical for care purposes that medical staff obtain as much information about the patient that comes into the ER as possible. Did the staff question the patient as to if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol? This is unclear from the case study, this information was not provided. Next, did the staff perform a drug panel or get any blood for traces of alcohol? Was the patient seeming to be under the influence of anything? Again, this is unclear and was not mentioned in the case study. If it was known that drugs or alcohol were in the system, the physician may not have ordered for morphine to be given. Was there a previous history of the patient seen there and if so, was the medical history reviewed. The case study stated he was in the ER for several hours for observation. During that time, was there any family contacted? Let’s look at each scenario though. To prove negligence there must be elements established by the patient’s estate. It is the duty of the physician to deliver competent, compassionate, and prudent care within standards of medical practice and make decisions about treatment in the best interest of the patient. Did the physician neglect their duty, by not talking with the patient about the risk of morphine? Did the physician suspect there were drugs or alcohol in the system and administer the morphine knowing the potential risk? This is unclear. If