Increase in negligence due to understaffing

On Behalf of | Oct 7, 2022 | Hospital Negligence

Hospital understaffing has been an ongoing issue in the industry for decades by this point. Unfortunately, due to recent circumstances, this issue has only worsened at an incredible pace.

Negligence is just one of the many issues tied directly to understaffing, too. But exactly how do the two relate?

The cause of understaffing

Becker’s Hospital Review discusses the major issue of understaffing in hospitals. Understaffing often happens due to burnout and overwork. These days, fewer people than ever are entering the medical field due to the intense levels of work that people are expected to take on.

This contributes to burnout in turn, and often ends up with newcomers into the field leaving almost as soon as they arrived. This leaves the hospital staff stretched thin, which applies even more pressure to the remaining members.

Negligence as caused by understaffing

In turn, this can lead to negligence occurring due to burnout caused by understaffing. Examples can include nurses forgetting to check on patients who need frequent check-ups, mixing up medications, prescribing the wrong drugs, forgetting a patient’s allergies or medication, or forgetting their meals.

Unfortunately, in some of these cases, these mistakes caused by negligence can end up severely harming the patient in question. In these situations, a patient has the right to fight for compensation as the mistake that led to their injury or harm was entirely preventable.

Understaffing is an issue that needs to be addressed, but in the meantime, there should be help for those who suffer from the unintended consequences of it.

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