There are multiple guidelines which are to be adhered to in relation to nursing care.
When a patient is in hospital, the following guidelines should apply:
- Nursing and Midwifery Professional Code of Conduct
- The Royal College of Nursing Policy
- NICE Guidelines
- Quality Care Commission Assessment of Standards 2016
- National Standards (Royal Marsden Manual)
Taking all of the above guidelines into account all incidents which occur whilst a patient is under the care of the nurses should be investigated.
There are several types of incidents which can occur under the care of nurses and I have set out some examples below:
Falls – patients who are at risk of falls should be safeguarded against such falls.Various plans can be put into place under the above guidelines to safeguard patients against falls, for example, pressure pads, bed rails, 24 hour supervision, etc.If a patient who is at risk of falling, perhaps with mobility issues or who have suffered a head injury, is allowed to fall whilst in hospital the incident should be investigated
Pressure sores – pressure sores can be significant and are suffered when a patient is not regularly mobilised or manoeuvred.Similarly, the above guidelines safeguard patients against pressure sores and if these are sustained then the incident should be investigated.Prevention of pressure sores include regular mobilisation or turning and air cushions
Failure to refer – patients can be seen by nurses in relation to treatment of various wounds.The guidelines above provide guidance as to when nurses should refer the patient back to their GP or hospital for a further opinion, for example if they are concerned regarding lack of healing or infection.If a patient is not referred by a nurse when they feel they should be then again this requires investigation
This is a small selection of examples where nursing care may be inadequate.
Unfortunately errors can occur at all levels of your medical care and often treatment received can result in preventable injury or deterioration.
If you believe that you have been treated inappropriately and not in accordance with accepted medical practice and wish to discuss your position, at no charge, please call either Anne Scott or Alison Palmer on who are specialists in all aspects of clinical negligence.