Question

James is a first-year surgery resident on his first pediatric rotation. His attending (supervising physician) asks him to start intravenous (IV) replacement fluids on a two-year-old boy who is having vomiting and diarrhea. Having trouble remembering the guidelines for calculating fluid replacement rates for very small children, James asks Maria, a nurse on the unit. Maria responds, "You're the doctor. It's your job to decide this." James picks a rate that is much too high, putting the child into fluid overload.

Who is likely to be negatively affected by this medical error?

Answer 1

The child who received the excessive IV replacement fluids is likely to be negatively affected by the medical error.

Step-by-step explanation:

When James, the first-year surgery resident, incorrectly calculates the IV replacement fluids at a rate much too high for the two-year-old boy, the child is negatively affected by the medical error. In this case, the child is put into fluid overload, which can have serious consequences. Fluid overload can lead to electrolyte imbalances, compromised heart function, respiratory distress, and even organ failure.