Authors: Lyerla Frank PhD RN, Jamie Danks BSN RN MSHI
Nursing malpractice claims are escalating, which equates to a higher risk of being named in a lawsuit and possibly defending one's actions in court. The perianesthesia nurse is at particular risk because of patient involvement before, during, and after surgical procedures. To minimize this risk nurses should have a clear understanding of how a malpractice claim proceeds and the common incidents involved. Three perianesthesia case studies are presented that identify potential nursing litigation threats and strategies to reduce those threats.