The Vienna Nursing and Patient Advocacy (WPPA) annual report has it all, as evidenced by some cases where treatment errors have been proven. Among them is a newborn who burned herself in the hospital.
Mistakes happen, unfortunately also in the hospital. However, it is irresponsible if treatment errors are due to avoidable problems, such as a lack of staff. In some cases there are waiting times for an operation of more than a year or a maximum of three postponements of the operation. It is obvious, of course, that the doctors and nurses are doing their utmost and are sometimes superhuman.
972 requests to hospitals
However, workload, overtime and structural problems can lead to errors. Those affected can contact the WPPA – and many do. According to the annual report, they were contacted with 972 concerns related to Vienna’s hospitals. This number includes not only complaints about possible handling errors, but also questions about costs, concerns about organizational shortcomings or – albeit less often – compliments.
In the following case, however, an actual treatment error was proven – and compensation was paid by the responsible liability insurer: A 22-day-old baby was scalded while bathing in the hospital.
Severe burns on the body
A baby’s skin is much more sensitive than an adult’s. It is therefore important to pay close attention to the water temperature when bathing newborns. But that’s exactly what a nursing assistant didn’t do. In addition, she wore rubber gloves because of a multidrug-resistant germ and did not realize that the water was much too hot for the 22-day-old child.
The result: burnt thighs, buttocks and belly. Even after bathing, the water temperature was 48 degrees – more than ten degrees above the recommended temperature for babies. Because it should be adjusted to the body and should be about 36 degrees.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
