University Nursing Practice: Adverse Events and Reflection Report

This report examines a case of medical negligence in professional nursing practice, focusing on an incident where a nurse administered medication intravenously to an elderly patient, leading to the patient's death. The report highlights the nurse's failure to consult with senior nurses and the resulting adverse medical event. It discusses the importance of adhering to healthcare standards, proper medication administration, and the need for effective communication among healthcare professionals. The analysis incorporates Rolfe's reflective model to evaluate the nurse's actions, feelings, and beliefs, emphasizing the impact of medical errors on both patients and healthcare providers. The report stresses the importance of safe medication practices and the need for comprehensive care plans to prevent future incidents of medical negligence. It concludes by underscoring the necessity of continuous professional development and adherence to national health and safety guidelines to maintain patient trust and ensure quality healthcare delivery.

Running head: Professional nursing practice
Professional nursing practice
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Authors note:

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In a medical scenario, adverse effects are the misconduct by the doctors or nurses that
poses serious consequences for someone’s health. In this report, the issue was discussed
about a nurse charged with manslaughter after injecting an aged woman who was 97 years
old with three different medications intravenously, which lead her to death. The woman was
admitted to the hospital with nausea, a urinary tract infection and had severe medical history.
The nurse was held responsible for not consulting with other senior nurses and the act of
negligence resulted in her death. There was a debate, which was supporting the nurse saying
that the old woman’s death was due to her medical condition and not because of the
medication. Adverse medicine events occurs due to negligence from the health staff and
proper implementation must ensure that the medical history is considered during such legal
procedure.
In the given incident, the nurse who was caring for an elderly woman named Mrs.
Anderson administered three oral medications by the wrong route. Nurse noticed that Mrs
Anderson had difficulty swallowing, hence she decided to administer three oral medications,
intervening without checking with anther nurse; consequently, the following night ,Mrs.
Anderson suffered from a heart attack and died. The patient had a complicated medical
history that could also be the reason of her heart attack. However according to the post
mortem report, foreign objects were found in Mrs. Andersons body that could have been from
the oral medication, and nurses must not administer medication without consulting the
physician or a senior nurse as it is against the clinical practise of medication. Thus, nurses are
required to ensure safe medication administration.
The health care system can come into danger as patients develop trust with health care
and they can have negative impact for the career for nurses . The nurses develop a
responsibility in intervening in medical decisions but it should be done following
consultation from other health professionals. The nurses are required to assist with recovery

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from illnesses and in case of this adverse situation there was an error made which could have
been avoided by the nurse and health professionals. Medical negligence is a serious issue,
which takes life of the patient (Kahriman & Öztürk, 2016). This can have an effect on nurse’s
emotional stability and mental health, as the actions are not deliberate. The health care system
suffers from lack of trust and faith from the patients. The patients may not trust the hospital
organization again when such cases are reported.
There must be a strict nursing implementation, which would stop such incidents to
reoccur. The nursing interventions may help to minimise the act of negligence through proper
care plan. The care plan must ensure that in case of patients with complicated medical history
must ensure that no medication is administered without proper consultation from physicians
or other health professionals. Nurses are required to take care according to specific norms as
given by standards of National health and safety (Flanigan, 2016). The nurses must have
proper communication with health professionals and note down important information of the
concerned diagnosis. It is necessary for the nurses to stay up. to date with medical
information and diagnostic procedure. This way medical negligence or adverse effects can be
minimised with proper documentation and maintaining of important guidelines (McMichael,
Safriet, & Buerhaus, 2018). It is necessary for nurses to look after a particular patient as
there may be difference between the two and lack of communication may occur. As a nurse,
it is an ardent responsibility to take care of patients need like pain but then also we should
consult with the health care. It is against the practice of National Health and Safety norms to
inject or administer any medication without the knowledge of concerned health professional
(Rodziewicz & Hipskind, 2019). This information would help the nurses to know the patient
better and in case of emergencies they may intervene knowing the details of the patient thus
minimising the rate of negligence or an adverse medical situation. I would like to give a brief
reflection of the adverse situation by taking the principles of Rolfe’s reflective model. The

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principles of Rolfe’s reflective model helped me to reflect my thoughts (Nicol & Dosser,
2016). The event evoked a feeling of mercy in me for the nurse who was held responsible for
negligence. After looking at the piece of information, I believe that the nurse administered the
medication thinking that it would reduce the pain of the old woman. The nurse must not have
made the decision of administration without consulting the physician or any senior nurses
(Ritchie et al, 2017). The nurses must work according to safety guidelines and see that they
work according to the guidelines. The nurse’s action had an adverse effect especially on her
career. The death of the patient is also a great loss and the health service suffered a lack of
trust from other patients. There must be proper regulation against such practices and the
nurses must be responsible in disseminating medications to avoid such issues. According to
standard 1, of NMBA practice outlines it is required for the nurses to provide safe and
evidence based quality practice. It is necessary to develop reflection actions, feelings, beliefs
and knowledge (NMBA, 2016)
In conclusion that such incidents of medical negligence has a hazardous effect. The
incident discussed above shows how medical negligence may occur when the safety
regulations are not maintained. The nurses must not make important administration without
consulting a physician as it against their practise. Nurses must take active role in care plan
and must know properly about the medical history of the patient. Ensuring effective
communication professionals is maintained, such adverse medical negligence can be avoided.
In this incident of adverse medical conditions, the medical history of the patient must be
consider for making the final decision regarding the legal case for the nurse being faced and
with proper implementation of safety practice, adverse conditions can be avoided.

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