Much of the time, Kansas City residents may think of medical malpractice as something that happens when a doctor makes a mistaken diagnosis or misses something in the course of a complicated surgery. However, the reality is that medical negligence can happen under much more routine circumstances as well. While even medical staff may not think of it as they do it, even simple tasks, like moving a patient, can seriously harm the patient if the staff makes a mistake.
By way of example, nurses, aides and other staff often use an automatic lift, like a Hoyer lift, to move a patient from a bed to a chair, or even from one bed to another. Before moving a patient, the staff needs to make sure the patient is in the proper physical and mental health to be transferred. Likewise, the staff also should verify that the equipment is working properly before trying a move.
On a related point, the staff will need to make sure that they choose the proper size of sling with which to move the patient. If they choose a sling that is either too large or too small, a patient can wind up falling out of the lift.
Falls during any sort of patient transfer can cause serious medical problems. In particularly bad cases, a patient can suffer a broken bone or even a traumatic brain injury because of a fall at the hospital or other medical facility. In these sorts of cases, a victim or their family can consider filing a medical malpractice case to seek compensation for the injuries.
