Review Question - QID 210454

In this case, an error was made which could have potentially harmed the patient. This error must be disclosed to the patient.

Physician errors are increasingly recognized as causes or potential causes of harm to patients. Many patients may die each year due to preventable hospital errors. Iatrogenic injuries can significantly undermine the physician-patient relationship and can become an impediment to future care for the patient. Discussing physician errors can be particularly difficult, but it is ethically important to do so in accordance with the physician's code of ethics. The physician should always be open and honest with what happened and should never blame others or conceal information.

Incorrect Answers:
Answer 1: Continue with ceftriaxone and use diphenhydramine as needed would be inappropriate as this patient is allergic and there are alternative antibiotics available. If an antibiotic must be given that a patient is allergic to, desensitization can be attempted.

Answer 2: Desensitize the patient to ceftriaxone and continue treatment may be appropriate if there are no alternative antibiotics available after the error has been disclosed to the patient.

Answer 4: Inform the patient that nursing gave the wrong medication and it has been corrected are incorrect because another individual should never be blamed for an error. Rather, the physician should take a team-based approach and discuss the error honestly and without placing blame.

Answer 5: Switch the medication to levofloxacin is appropriate after the error has been disclosed to the patient. To do this covertly is dishonest.

Bullet Summary:
Medical errors should always be truthfully disclosed to patients.