The medical profession is an ancient and respectable profession with the sole aim of saving or preserving lives. Patients will generally visit a medical professional or clinic based on his/its reputation. So the expectations of patients from medical professionals are two-fold, if not more. Medical professionals are expected to give medical treatments with all the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired over time. Besides that, they will not do what will cause harm to their patients in any way either because of negligence, carelessness, or reckless attitude.
What is Medical Negligence?
Medical negligence is the breach of a legal duty to care. It means carelessness in a matter in which the law mandates carefulness. For example failure to diagnose or misdiagnose; misreading or ignoring laboratory results; unnecessary surgeries or surgical errors; improper medications or dosage; poor followup or aftercare.
An health worker such as a doctor, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant, etc can be held liable for medical negligence only if one can prove that he/she is guilty of a failure that no healthcare provider with ordinary skills would be guilty of if acting with reasonable care.
When a health worker treats a patient in a negligent manner causing harm or worsening the existing health condition, this gives a patient the right to initiate action against negligence.
Though medical professionals may not always be in a position to save their patients’ life at all times, they must use their unique knowledge and skills most appropriately. Moreover, they must do that, bearing in mind that their patients have entrusted their lives to them. So, it is with no doubt expected that medical professionals should carry out the necessary investigations of their patients. Furthermore, unless an emergency occurs, they must get the informed consent of their patients prior to any major treatment, especially surgical operations. Failure of a medical professional to discharge these obligations is medical negligence which may come with dire consequences.
Yes ooo…..I am a living witness…. thank God I am still alive…..I lost my best friend too as a result of negligence two years ago…. they were supposed to carry out proper test and refer her in Time if needed but they were passing the so called water they call drip…whereas she was dieing of tetanus……her jaw was already locked before they transferred her😢…..she died the next morning
I’ve actually been there. In my 200 level as a Nursing Science student, I was gripped by a sudden illness (I’m not the type that get sick), so the sickness really got me like hell, like that was the end.
My friends rushed me to the Teaching hospital in my school at around 11pm that day (University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital to be precise). Only for the medical doctors to ask us to go to the School clinic miles away at that hour.
All of our pleas to make them attend to me fell on deaf ears. We showed them our IDs as medical students of the school, even then, they refused to attend to me.
I was patiently waiting for my last breath (Lol)
But thank God, there was a first aider in the school hostel, and I was cared for.
I don’t know how nigeria university hospitals operate but this case is common to both private and federal universities😪😪 and it’s disgusting🤧 …To think for one minute that this might be your children in one way or the other. #ClinicalNegligence🙅🏽♀️