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Up in Flames: A nurse anesthetist administered oxygen during a temporal artery biopsy. This was standard procedure given the patient’s symptoms of low oxygenation. However, the nurse failed to notify the surgeon that the highly combustible gas was now in play. When the surgeon switched on an electrocautery device, the resulting fire burned the patient’s face severely. A jury found the nurse liable for $250,000 in damages.
Tip: Communication is absolutely critical for proper patient care. Always tell others on your team what you’ve done, what you are doing and what you are about to do so they can adjust their own actions accordingly.
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