5 Common Examples of Hospital Negligence

Hospital negligence is a legal term that refers to harm or malpractice caused by hospital employees. It is often distinct from other forms of medical malpractice because many doctors do not have an employer-employee relationship with the hospital where they work. Instead, they’re often considered independent contractors with admitting privileges at that hospital.

Meanwhile, there are various other forms of negligence and malpractice that occur in hospital settings. Learn more about these common examples of hospital negligence and what you can do if you suspect that it’s happened to you.

Premature Discharge

Has a hospital employee come to your room and told you that you’re ready to be discharged, even if you’re still not feeling well? If you are still sick when the hospital discharges you and you experience adverse health effects, the hospital could be held liable for negligent care.

Improper Triage

Emergency room staff are responsible for triage, or seeing patients in order of the severity of their ailments. For example, if you have an ingrown toenail that got infected, you may wait for a while as patients with cardiac problems are seen ahead of you.

But if your illness or injury gets progressively worse because the ER staff improperly assessed you and assumed you were able to wait, they may hold some legal liability. Talk to a hospital negligence attorney about the progression of your ailment and how you believe your hours-long ER wait contributed to it.

Poorly Trained Staff

Do the medical professionals caring for you seem like they don’t know what they’re doing? Perhaps your nurse took several tries to find a vein for your IV, or your physician’s assistant missed a symptom that causes you distress. Hospitals that hire subpar or ill-trained staff can be held liable for mistakes those staff members make.

Inadequate Staffing

Hospitals have a responsibility to their patients to have enough staff to take care for them around the clock. If your hospital has a nursing shortage, for example, you may end up waiting several hours for help bathing or for your daily medications. Waiting too long to get cleaned up or to be turned in bed can lead to bed sores and infections.

Failure To Follow Up

Once you are discharged from the hospital, employees should arrange for follow-up care to see how you’re recovering. Follow-up appointments are essential for recovery and to reinforce communication between you and your healthcare team. If the hospital discharges you with no plan in place to follow up, they open themselves up to legal liability if your condition does worsen.

Should you check into the hospital for inpatient care, be on the lookout for common types of hospital negligence that may occur. Hold your healthcare professionals to a high standard, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself if you feel that they aren’t doing their jobs.