The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission has charged two unnamed nurses at Seattle Children's Hospital with unprofessional conduct and violations of nursing standards in separate cases of medical errors, according to a Seattle Times news report.
According to the commission, one nurse, who was involved with bringing a critically ill newborn to Seattle Children's late last year, allegedly administered medication to the baby without a physician's order, according to the news report. The same nurse also allegedly falsely documented a verbal physician order.
The baby later died of natural causes, according to the news report.
In a separate case, another nurse improperly administered medication to an adult patient who was admitted to the hospital's ED with acute respiratory distress. Rather than administer the medication intramuscularly, as directed by the manufacturer, the unnamed nurse intravenously gave the adult patient the drug. The nurse later told investigators that she was ordered by a physician to administer the drug intravenously. She admitted she was aware of the drug's instructions.
The adult patient developed arrhythmia but underwent treatment and recovered, according to the news report. The commission charged the second nurse with failing to alert the physician that his order went against the medication's instructions. Both nurses face possible sanctions against their licenses.
Read the news report about the nursing medical errors at Seattle Children's Hospital.
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According to the commission, one nurse, who was involved with bringing a critically ill newborn to Seattle Children's late last year, allegedly administered medication to the baby without a physician's order, according to the news report. The same nurse also allegedly falsely documented a verbal physician order.
The baby later died of natural causes, according to the news report.
In a separate case, another nurse improperly administered medication to an adult patient who was admitted to the hospital's ED with acute respiratory distress. Rather than administer the medication intramuscularly, as directed by the manufacturer, the unnamed nurse intravenously gave the adult patient the drug. The nurse later told investigators that she was ordered by a physician to administer the drug intravenously. She admitted she was aware of the drug's instructions.
The adult patient developed arrhythmia but underwent treatment and recovered, according to the news report. The commission charged the second nurse with failing to alert the physician that his order went against the medication's instructions. Both nurses face possible sanctions against their licenses.
Read the news report about the nursing medical errors at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Related Articles about Medical Errors:
Nevada Senate Approves Bill Requiring Patient Safety Checklists
Physician Compare Website Contains Biographical Errors, Physicians Say
Iowa Healthcare Leaders Clash Over Need for Mandatory Error Reporting