Medical malpractice is any act, or the omission of an act, by a medical practitioner whereby the patient suffers injury or damages caused by ignoring the normal practices in medicine. Medical negligence is not limited to doctors but also be done any other medical practitioners, such as a nurse.

Numerous cases in Connecticut have been filed where hospitals and care centers have been fined due to alleged negligence of registered nurses. Recently, a rehabilitation center was fined more than $1,000 because staff nurses were found guilty of negligence because they did not call 911 soon enough. This inaction allegedly led to a man dying from cardiac arrest.

Furthermore, some registered nurses stated that they did not often check the name of each patient at the top of the medical chart before administering medicine, leading to incorrect administration of medicines in a few hospitals. Allegations of nurses mishandling their patients and verbally abusing sick patients were also levied.

Medical malpractice is usually subjected to a three-pronged test. First, the plaintiff must prove that the medical practitioner was under a duty of care toward the patient. Second, the duty of care must be breached due to negligence by commission or omission of an act regularly practiced by other medical practitioners under similar situations. Third, the patient must have suffered an injury or damage due to the said negligence of the medical practitioner. Proving medical malpractice may often be difficult for the aggrieved patient or his family. An attorney can help ensure the best possible outcome in a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Source: CTWatchdog.com, “Resident’s abusive behavior, nurses’ failure to call 911 result in Connecticut nursing home fines”, Kate Farrish, June 10, 2014