Nurses have serious duties in the medical field. While the duties they face vary some based on where they’re working, they have to ensure they’re always in the right condition to care for patients.
A nurse who’s fatigued may make errors when they’re taking care of patients, so they must ensure they get good quality sleep before they work.
Dangers of fatigue in nursing
There are many dangers that come with fatigued nurses. They may not have the mental capacity to care for their patients properly. This can lead to a host of issues for the patients. These include:
- Medication errors
- Improper interpretation of vital signs
- Incorrect charting and documentation
- Failing to monitor patients
- Misinterpreting practitioner orders
As a shift progresses and the nurse becomes more fatigued, more errors are possible. The only way to prevent nurse fatigue is for them to have adequate rest between shifts and to limit the number of hours they have to work in a single shift.
Understaffing is a factor
Understaffing is a primary factor in nursing fatigue because it can lead to nurses having to work more shifts or longer shifts. Individuals who have to work rotating shifts, long shifts or overtime are more likely to be fatigued than those who have set shifts with regular, limited hours.
It’s difficult for some medical centers to get all necessary shifts covered because of nursing shortages. There’s no excuse for them to allow patient care to suffer. Instead, they must ensure staffing is handled properly so patients can get optimal care. Medical centers might be one of the liable parties in these cases, depending on the circumstances.
Determine liability
Patients who suffer harm will need to get medical care for their injuries. They may choose to seek compensation for the financial damages. Part of getting this case moving forward is determining who’s liable for the issues. Liable parties should be named as defendants. These cases can be rather complex, so it’s best to work with someone who’s familiar with these matters. Remember, you must act quickly because your time for filing is limited by Nevada law.