Maryland Nursing Negligence and Birth Injuries Lawyer
At many hospitals, a large part of the labor and delivery is done by the nurses. When women are in labor, they tend to have more interaction with the nurses than the actual doctor. Nurses do a lot of the monitoring in the labor and delivery department. They are trained and highly knowledgeable about the childbirth process. Nurses also need to be good communicators. They need to keep doctors informed and ensure they have accurate information.
Because of their specialized training, nurses are considered healthcare professionals and can be liable for medical malpractice, just like doctors. In fact, nurses are often sued in medical malpractice lawsuits involving birth injuries. Do you have a case against a nurse? If so, contact the Maryland nursing negligence lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman to get started
How Nurses Can Be Held Liable
Nursing negligence can happen at any time during the labor and delivery process, but most birth injury cases happen during the first stage of labor, which involves the first contractions and continues until the cervix is fully dilated. As the woman progresses into the second and final stages of labor, there are much fewer nursing malpractice cases.
This is because the nurses are primarily responsible in the early stages of labor. They are the primary medical decision maker until the doctor arrives. When it comes time to deliver the baby, the doctor takes over. At that point, the nurse is just following the doctor’s instructions.
Forms of Negligent Nursing
The most common types of negligent nursing care include the following:
- Communication negligence. This is the most frequent type of nursing malpractice. It involves the failure to inform the doctor of changes that can lead to birth injuries.
- Failure to ensure adequate care. If there are problems, nurses must ensure that the patient receives the necessary care and attention. This means contacting the doctor or supervisor or following other hospital protocols.
- Medication errors. These errors often occur with the drug Pitocin, which can be harmful to the mother and baby if not properly monitored. Nurses must stop use if the baby is in distress.
- Negligent assessment and intervention. This often occurs when nurses fail to pay close attention to fetal monitor tracings. They then fail to notice signs of fetal distress in a timely manner. It can also occur when nurses do their job incorrectly, such as not installing monitoring strips in a proper manner.
Contact Us Today
Doctors are not the only ones who can be accused of medical negligence. Nurses may also play a role, especially during the early stages of labor and delivery.
If a nurse failed to communicate with the doctors or provide you and your baby with adequate care, they can be held liable for any damages you suffered. The personal injury attorneys at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman can help you file a medical malpractice claim. To get started, schedule a free consultation by calling (410) 567-0800.
