An ethical or legal issue that may arise if a patient has a poor outcome

Sample Solution

   

One ethical or legal issue that may arise if a patient has a poor outcome or sentinel event because of a distraction such as alarm fatigue is medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is when a healthcare professional deviates from the standard of care and this deviation causes harm to the patient.

In the case of alarm fatigue, a healthcare professional may be found to have deviated from the standard of care if they fail to respond to an alarm in a timely manner because they are distracted. This could be due to a number of factors, such as being overworked, being interrupted by other tasks, or being unfamiliar with the alarm system.

Full Answer Section

      If a patient is harmed as a result of a healthcare professional's failure to respond to an alarm, the patient may have a case for medical malpractice. To prove medical malpractice, the patient must show the following:

• The healthcare professional had a duty to care for the patient.
• The healthcare professional breached this duty by failing to meet the standard of care.
• The breach of duty caused the patient's harm.
• The patient suffered damages as a result of the harm.

If a patient is able to prove medical malpractice, they may be awarded damages, such as compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Another ethical or legal issue that may arise if a patient has a poor outcome or sentinel event because of a distraction such as alarm fatigue is wrongful death. Wrongful death is a legal claim that can be brought by the family of a deceased person if they believe that the person's death was caused by the negligence of another person or entity. To prove wrongful death, the family must show the following:

• The deceased person was owed a duty of care by the defendant.
• The defendant breached this duty of care.
• The breach of duty caused the deceased person's death.
• The family suffered damages as a result of the death.

If the family is able to prove wrongful death, they may be awarded damages, such as compensation for funeral expenses, lost income, and emotional distress. Evidence about alarm fatigue and distractions in healthcare when it comes to patient safety Alarm fatigue is a serious patient safety issue. It is estimated that 90-99% of hospital alarms are false or non-actionable. This means that healthcare professionals are constantly being bombarded with alarms, which can make it difficult to distinguish between important and unimportant alarms. Alarm fatigue can lead to a number of patient safety problems, including:

• Missed alarms: Healthcare professionals may fail to respond to important alarms because they are overwhelmed by the number of alarms they receive.
• Delayed response: Healthcare professionals may respond to important alarms with a delay, which can lead to patient harm.
• Desensitization: Healthcare professionals may become desensitized to alarms over time, which can make it difficult for them to recognize and respond to important alarms.

Distractions in healthcare can also lead to patient safety problems. Distractions can come from a variety of sources, such as noise, interruptions from other staff members, and the use of electronic devices. A study published in the Journal of Patient Safety found that distractions were a contributing factor in 39% of adverse events in healthcare settings. The study also found that distractions were more likely to occur in busy and chaotic work environments. Alarm fatigue and distractions in healthcare are serious patient safety issues. Healthcare organizations need to take steps to address these issues, such as:

• Reducing the number of alarms used in healthcare settings.
• Improving the design of alarm systems to make it easier for healthcare professionals to distinguish between important and unimportant alarms.
• Providing healthcare professionals with training on how to manage alarm fatigue and distractions.
• Creating a culture of safety in healthcare settings where healthcare professionals feel comfortable reporting distractions and missed alarms.

By taking these steps, healthcare organizations can help to reduce the risk of patient harm caused by alarm fatigue and distractions.