Unbelievable - now this is negligence

RetiredGreyFox · 25 Nov 2006 at 18:31

Two weeks ago my 6 year old nephew had to go into hospital for surgery on a 'lazy eye'. While he was on the table he started fitting and the staff emptied the theatre and removed their latex gloves, scrubbed and put other gloves on. They got my nephew back but apparently it was touch and go and they didn't know what caused it. About 30 minutes ago the anaesthetist rang my sister and told her some quite shocking news. The incident had shocked her and she wouldn't let it drop so she did lots of investigating ringing colleagues around the country. It became apparent that one of the drugs she gave my nephew, which she has used for years, came from another supplier and nowhere in their literature does it say 'Should not be used on people with nut allergies' :eek:

She told my sister that it was now up to her to use the information for whatever needs because she (the anaesthetist) was disgusted.

Kell_ee001 · 25 Nov 2006 at 18:47

I honestly don't know what to say to that

apart from that I'm glad your nephew is ok

mctiny · 25 Nov 2006 at 18:49

dmpoole said:
Two weeks ago my 6 year old nephew had to go into hospital for surgery on a 'lazy eye'. While he was on the table he started fitting and the staff emptied the theatre and removed their latex gloves, scrubbed and put other gloves on. They got my nephew back but apparently it was touch and go and they didn't know what caused it. About 30 minutes ago the anaesthetist rang my sister and told her some quite shocking news. The incident had shocked her and she wouldn't let it drop so she did lots of investigating ringing colleagues around the country. It became apparent that one of the drugs she gave my nephew, which she has used for years, came from another supplier and nowhere in their literature does it say 'Should not be used on people with nut allergies' She told my sister that it was now up to her to use the information for whatever needs because she (the anaesthetist) was disgusted.

You and your sister should do everything you can to get justice and make sure this does not happen to someone else, after all they may not be lucky next

.

Although every operation has a risk attached to it, But I would say this is just plain negilance adn stupidity on the hostipal's part. you put your life ( or a Family members life) in the hands of the hospitals and drug manafactures and should never expect anything like this.

teaboy5 · 25 Nov 2006 at 18:51

So the supplier changed? And it wasn't correctly marked?

Or the whole time it wasn't marked from any supplier, if you know what i mean?

tom_e · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:05

mctiny said:
You and your sister should do everything you can to get justice and make sure this does not happen to someone else, after all they may not be lucky next.

Although every operation has a risk attached to it, But I would say this is just plain negilance adn stupidity on the hostipal's part. you put your life ( or a Family members life) in the hands of the hospitals and drug manafactures and should never expect anything like this.

I wouldnt go blaming the hospital entirely, although they should check as the new supplier didnt explicitly state it id say its more their fault than the hospital

mctiny · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:13

blitz2163 said:
I wouldnt go blaming the hospital entirely, although they should check as the new supplier didnt explicitly state it id say its more their fault than the hospital

I'm not, but they have a duty to check this kind of information.

teaboy5 · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:22

mctiny said:
I'm not, but they have a duty to check this kind of information.

Also if it was the same drug but from a different supplier, surly its the same and should be treated in the same way?

Vonhelmet · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:25

mctiny said:
I'm not, but they have a duty to check this kind of information.

I'd say the blame lies with the drug supplier. I'm not sure the hospital can really check every single drug they use against every possible side effect. That's the suppliers job, surely.

mctiny · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:30

teaboy5 said:
Also if it was the same drug but from a different supplier, surly its the same and should be treated in the same way?

You'd think

.

vonhelmet said:
I'd say the blame lies with the drug supplier. I'm not sure the hospital can really check every single drug they use against every possible side effect. That's the suppliers job, surely.

In theory they should be treated the same and I can't see any reason why they were not.
The drug should be made the same regardless of the company who made it, if it was a problem with the labelling of the drug then the negilance is soley down to the drug manafacturer and not the hosiptal but surely the hosptial should check the drugs that are recieved by a different supplier?

Vonhelmet · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:35

mctiny said:
The drug should be made the same regardless of the company who made it, if it was a problem with the labelling of the drug then the negilance is soley down to the drug manafacturer and not the hosiptal but surely the hosptial should check the drugs that are recieved by a different supplier?

Drugs could be produced any which way, and different processes could leave different traces with all manner of different effects.

Still, I accept that maybe the hospital should check if they know that the same drug from the usual supplier causes those problems.

Beansprout · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:43

This isn't the anesthetists fault imo - it's whoever supplies here, so presumably someone in the hospital's administration, who hasn't been totally thorough - not sure how the anesthetist is supposed to check the history of everything he/she uses - I'd say he/she could only be expected to check the drug type/dose.

Either way - very bad, and shouldn't have happened - and sounds like he was lucky

RetiredGreyFox · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:53

Beansprout said:
This isn't the anesthetists fault imo -

It played on her mind for two weeks and she wouldn't let it drop so she obviously knew it wasn't her fault.

Beansprout · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:57

dmpoole said:
It played on her mind for two weeks and she wouldn't let it drop so she obviously knew it wasn't her fault.

Aye - good

frosty03 · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:57

probably some manager who decided to save afew quid by buying a cheaper version and then not informing the clinical staff.... nobody checks what is actually in it since it was never a problem before, just like nobody checks to see if there is nuts in toothpaste....

i would ask your nephew to complain directly to the hospital, and then to his MP.... the only way to make sure things like this get noticed and prevented... and the manager made accountable.... clinical staff dont order drugs....

Dr.EM · 25 Nov 2006 at 19:59

, must have been very worrying for all concerned. You truly need to be able to trust anyone involved with surgery with your life, what has happened here is shocking.