What You Need to Know

Operating room environments are very complex and require the strictest attention to detail at all times. Technological advancements may help prevent some mistakes, but the possibility of human error is a variable that will never be removed entirely from the process. Sometimes mistakes happen, and it’s nobody’s fault. Unfortunately, some mistakes could have been avoided if it wasn’t for the negligence of the medical professional responsible.

Anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are trained to administer anesthesia to a patient and monitor the patient’s vital signs while they are under. The operating room requires on-the-spot decision making in a setting where things can change at a moment’s notice. Mistakes regrettably happen no matter how many precautions are taken. They can also occur when an anesthesiologist or CRNA is negligent.

• Causes of Negligence

  Any number of factors can cause negligence:

  • Fatigue — the result of medical professionals being overworked due to understaffed hospitals
  • Incompetence — caused by the anesthesiologist or CRNA not being properly trained (although this is a rare occurrence)
  • Purposeful negligence
  • Defective equipment
  • Incorrect intubation
  • Incorrect amount of anesthesia
• Consequences of Negligence

  Many complications can occur when an anesthesiologist or CRNA makes a mistake in the operating room. The following list is just a few of the serious side effects that can occur:

  • Paralysis
  • Nerve damage
  • Heart arrhythmia
  • Cardiovascular collapse
  • Stroke
  • Seizures
  • Death