Dallas, Texas (April 4, 2023) - Dallas Associate Christine Chasse recently authored an article for the April 2023 edition of Headnotes - the official publication of the Dallas Bar Association (DBA) - that discusses the risks that nurses face in a healthcare system that encourages providers to report mistakes.
Ms. Chasse opens the article, titled "Nursing Errors and the Accidental Homicide: Just Culture," by explaining that medical errors are among the top three causes of death in United States. She points out the significant role that nurses play concerning these errors, noting that nurses "are the last line of defense" against these mistakes and that "[t]hey are not only the providers most likely to prevent medication errors, but also have the dubious honor of being the most likely to commit them."
Next, the author describes "Just Culture," explaining that the term refers to "a system of shared accountability" in which healthcare organizations handle employees' behavior "in a manner that is meant to be fair and just." She further notes that this culture encourages healthcare providers to report mistakes. Ms. Chasse points out, however, that "nurses and other providers have to strongly consider the punitive side of Just Culture: what if reporting your genuine, unintentional mistake lead[s] to losing your job or professional license, or receiving a criminal homicide charge...would you still do it?"
Ms. Chasse goes on to describe the case of People v. Vaught, in which a former registered nurse was convicted of reckless homicide after an elderly patient died as a result of her medication error. The author closes the article by observing, "Even if the mistake is due to a system failure, because nurses are the last line of defense, they run the risk of being the face of tragedy."
Ms. Chasse is a member of Lewis Brisbois' Healthcare Practice. She focuses her practice on representing healthcare providers and institutions, such as skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, regarding claims of professional liability, healthcare and medical malpractice liability, premises liability, and wrongful death. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Chasse worked as a registered nurse for more than a decade.
You may access the full DBA Headnotes April 2023 edition here (Ms. Chasse's article appears on page 8).
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