Question

LEARNING EXERCISE

5.2
Who Is Responsible for Harm to This Patient? You Decide
You are a surgical nurse at Memorial Hospital. At 4 PM, you
receive a patient from the recovery
room who has had a total h

Answer 1

In this scenario, the responsibility for the harm caused to the patient may lie with the surgeon, anesthesiologist, or the entire surgical team.

In this scenario, as a surgical nurse, it is important to assess who may be responsible for the harm caused to the patient. One possible consideration could be the surgeon who performed the surgery. It is essential to review the surgical procedures, techniques, and practices followed during the surgery to determine if any errors or negligence occurred.

Another aspect to consider is the anesthesiologist, who administers anesthesia to the patient. If any mistakes or negligence occurred during the administration of anesthesia, the anesthesiologist could potentially be responsible for the harm caused.

It is also crucial to evaluate the overall teamwork and coordination among the surgical team during the procedure. If there was a lack of communication or coordination that contributed to the harm, the responsibility may be shared among the entire team.