It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child. While this is true, it also takes a team to deliver a baby. You are dependent on the doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff to work together as a team to make sure that you and your child are safe.
Communication Is an Important Part of the Teamwork Necessary to Prevent Birth Injuries
This includes communication:
- Among doctors, nurses, and hospital staff working the same shift. The medical staff attending to your labor and delivery must share critical information with one another. This includes for example, your vital signs, medications, and results of fetal monitoring.
- Among doctors, nurses, and hospital staff at the end of the shift. Shifts change and emergencies happen. The doctor or nurse who was attending to you a few hours ago may no longer be treating you. Yet, you should expect that information from one professional is shared with the next professional on duty.
- Between you and your doctors and nurses. Your doctors and nurses should listen to you and should make sure that you provide informed consent for anything that is done during labor and delivery.
- Between your obstetrician’s office and the hospital. The hospital should have information about your pregnancy that is relevant to labor and delivery.
If a doctor, nurse, or hospital worker is negligent in communicating, a serious injury can result.
How a Birth Injury Can Happen Because of a Miscommunication
If the medical staff doesn’t listen to you or doesn’t communicate with one another then:
- A serious medication error could result. You may be given the wrong medication, the wrong dose of a medication, a medication that adversely interacts with another medication, or a drug that you just didn’t need.
- You may suffer a prolonged labor. If labor goes on too long, your baby may be hurt.
- Medical staff may not monitor you appropriately. You may have special conditions that need to be monitored—such as diabetes or high blood pressure. If the doctors, nurses, and staff treating you don’t know about these conditions, they can’t provide appropriate treatment.
As a result, your baby could suffer a serious or fatal birth injury.
Take Action If Your Baby Suffers a Birth Injury
A communication error may be medical malpractice that results in your child’s birth injury. As the parent, it is important for you to protect your child’s legal recovery just as you protect your child’s physical recovery.
You don’t have to do this alone, however. Instead, we encourage you to reach out to our law firm for a free, no-obligation consultation. Talk to our staff nurse and our experienced Louisville birth injury lawyers. Let us investigate what happened and advise you of your child’s rights so that you can make the best possible decision about protecting your child’s future.
Has Your Family Been Impacted by a Birth Injury?
If your family has been impacted by a birth injury you need to speak with an experienced birth injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.