When nurses get stressed out in West Virginia, they are more prone to making mistakes. However, this same study discovered that if the nurses have an extensive support network, this risk can be somewhat mitigated.
What did the study show?
This survey tested almost 800 nurses, 61% of which stated that their physical health was subpar. Perhaps unsurprisingly, roughly 40% of those same nurses showed signs of depression. Researchers discovered that the nurses were 31% to 62% more likely to make a mistake.
What can be gleamed from the study?
This study demonstrated the importance of changing the health care system for nurses so that they have access to a wider support network. This is especially important for critical care nurses who watch over emergency room patients. Having an excellent support group in place can help prevent problems associated with burnout and poor health in the future.
Additionally, support groups can provide nurses with the resources they need to optimize their well-being, so they don’t need to wait until bigger physical or mental health issues arise before seeking assistance. If policymakers were to adopt these changes, fewer nurses would make critical medical errors. In turn, this would lead to fewer medical malpractice claims getting filed.
Being a caregiver of any kind naturally predisposes a person to fatigue. For this reason alone, new policies should be implemented to ensure that caregivers’ needs get fully considered and taken care of.
Assistance with a malpractice claim
Getting the support and care you need from medical facilities should not be a big hassle. If you have received poor medical care due to negligence or a nurse’s mistake, you may want to speak with an attorney to understand what your options are.
