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Evidence That Nurses Need to Participate in Diagnosis: Lessons From Malpractice Claims.
Kelly Therese Gleason1, Rebecca Jones2, Christopher Rhodes1
1From the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Journal of Patient Safety
|March 29, 2020
Summary
Communication failures in nursing malpractice claims significantly increase patient death risk and costs. Enhancing nurses
Area of Science:
- Nursing
- Healthcare Law
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Nurses play a critical role in patient diagnosis.
- Malpractice claims highlight areas for improvement in nursing practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors contributing to malpractice claims involving nurses in diagnosis and monitoring.
- To suggest actions for healthcare leaders to improve nurses' diagnostic roles.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of diagnosis-related (n=139) and physiologic monitoring (n=647) malpractice claims from 2007-2016.
- Logistic regression to assess associations between contributing factors and outcomes (death, indemnity, expenses).
Main Results:
- Communication issues among providers were linked to higher death rates in both diagnosis-related (OR=3.01) and monitoring claims (OR=2.21).
- Communication failures in monitoring cases also led to increased indemnity and expenses.
Conclusions:
- Nurses are legally accountable for their diagnostic contributions.
- Improving nurses' diagnostic skills and awareness is crucial for better patient outcomes and reduced malpractice.
- Healthcare leaders must support and enhance the nursing role in diagnosis.
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