Electronic Distractions Increase Risk of Medical Errors

If you’re scheduled for surgery, you really don’t want to think that the doctor in charge could be talking on a cellphone or that the nurse on the operating room team could be sending a text message. Unfortunately, distractions involving electronic communication devices are on the rise, and the Seattle medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman and Tinker believe that these distractions definitely increase the risk of medical errors.

It is not uncommon for operating room staff to use electronic devices for professional purposes. A member of the operating room team may use a smartphone to look up a particular medication. However, a recent statement released by an organization of nurse anesthetists seems to indicate that there is reason for concern that operating room staff members are using smartphones for purposes other than medical care. According to the American Association of Nurse and Anesthetists, it is fairly common to find staff in operating rooms using smartphones for non-medical purposes.

One study found that more than 55 percent of perfusionists, who are responsible for the operation of heart-lung machines during cardiac bypass surgery, admitted that they had sent and received text messages, sent emails and used their phone for other activities during the procedure.

This is a controversial issue because there hasn’t been much in-depth research into whether the use of smartphones in the operating room for non-medical reasons is a major safety hazard. There have been no studies that have accurately determined the risk to patients from such activities. However, ask around in any hospital, and you learn about nurses who use their smartphones to chat or text in the operating room, and doctors who choose to browse the web during surgery.

Distractions have been responsible for devastating accidents in the transportation sector. It’s not hard to make the jump and connect the same distractions to an increased risk of surgical or medical errors.

The Seattle medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC represent victims of negligence by doctors, nurses, technicians and other medical personnel across Seattle.