Tubing misconnections are a persistent and preventable medical error in hospitals. Why do these tragic misconnections keep happening? A combination of a defective design and the lack of training for a known danger.
- Deadly Design: tubes with different functions can easily be connected using luer connectors. Luer connectors are virtually universal, so an IV can be misconnected to a feeding tube or epidural line or blood pressure cuff.
- Lack of Training: Hospitals know that IV misconnections are deadly and yet there is a lack of nurse training and education on checking, rechecking, and tracing tubing connections after any new connection or at the handoff process.
- Safer connections available: There is still an unwillingness of hospitals and tubing manufacturers to follow through with IV connectors and other connectors that are not universal.
IV Infiltrations
IV infiltrations are also a preventable medical error in hospitals. IV infiltrations can cause serious injury such as compartment syndrome, permanent nerve damage, scarring, surgeries, and permanent disability.
What is IV Infiltration? IV infiltration is one of the most common problems that happens when a nurse either inserts the tip of the catheter outside the vein or it slips out of the vein and allows part of the IV fluid or medication to infuse into the surrounding tissue.
What should a nurse do? A nurse must follow the hospital’s policy for IV therapy. Generally, damage can be avoided with frequent assessment of the IV site. If a nurse suspects an infiltration, a nurse must discontinue the site and relocate the IV. If the damage to surrounding tissue is evident, a nurse must notify the doctor and her supervisor.
Tubing Misconnections are a KNOWN Danger
HOSPITALS, MANUFACTURERS, and the U.S. GOVERNMENT have known for years that universal IV and feeding tube connectors can be easily misconnected causing serious injury and death. Some reported cases include: IV connected to epidural, IV connected to trach cuff, IV connected to nebulizer, IV connected to BP tubing, IV connected to nasal cannula, syringe connected to trach cuff, feeding tube connected to ventilator suction, IV connected to feeding tube, foley catheter connected to NG tube.
HOSPITALS, MANUFACTURERS, and the U.S. GOVERNMENT have spent years working on rules for new types of connectors that are not universal to prevent tubing misconnections. But, to date, this new standard is not being used by manufacturers or hospitals.
Hospital, Government, and Manufacturer Information on Misconnections:
FDA Warnings
Manufacturer New Design Plans
Joint Commission Warnings to Hospitals
Hospital Safety Experts
Hospital Safety Groups
Legal Help for IV Errors
What are your rights if a tubing misconnection or IV infiltration happens to you or a loved one?
It is very important to gather as much information as possible—such as what misconnection was made by hospital staff (example: IV misconnected to feeding tube) or what IV medication was infiltrated and all the details about what happened like the names of the nurses or staff who spoke with you and the type of tubing, including the name of the manufacturer(s). Video or photos are very helpful, because evidence of the misconnection or infiltration can be destroyed. If a loved one has died, an autopsy is critical. Getting copies of medical records from the hospital is vital because any attorney will need to review the records immediately to find out if there was a misconnection or infiltration. You should contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney immediately to understand your options.
Linda Thomas and Michelle Wan have almost 50 years of combined experience in handling personal injury, medical malpractice, defective product and wrongful death claims against hospitals, doctors, manufacturers across the nation.
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A: If you think you have a legal claim, your first step is finding a lawyer to represent you. You can contact Thomas & Wan to discuss your claim by filling this form or by calling us at 713.529.1177. A lawyer will evaluate your case.
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10 Sep, 2018
