08-28-2007, 10:12 PM
A 3-month-old has been admitted to the hospital with a newly diagnosed ventricular septal defect. She is in early congestive heart failure and digoxin is indicated. After discussing the proper dose with the attending physician, you write an order for the drug. Thirty minutes later the baby vomits and then has a cardiac arrest and dies. You discover that in writing the digoxin order you misplaced the decimal point and the child got 10 times too much digoxin.
What is your duty here?
A. Try correcting the prescription without informing the pt. family about the error.
B. Do not tell pt. family about the error and declare the death is due to the actual disease, becoz the family can sue you.
C. Family says it is your fault and threatens to sue you. You consider this as serious error with profound implications for the patient and family. You talk to them and give a correct explanation and say sorry.
D. Family blames you for her death and so do not talk anymore conversation with the family, as that might lead to more damage and sue chances.
What is your duty here?
A. Try correcting the prescription without informing the pt. family about the error.
B. Do not tell pt. family about the error and declare the death is due to the actual disease, becoz the family can sue you.
C. Family says it is your fault and threatens to sue you. You consider this as serious error with profound implications for the patient and family. You talk to them and give a correct explanation and say sorry.
D. Family blames you for her death and so do not talk anymore conversation with the family, as that might lead to more damage and sue chances.