Bizhealthcare - 22 Oct 2019
"Negligence at Gauteng state hospitals has caused damage to over 20,000 patients in the past two-and-a-half years, with R29bn paid out in claims. Recent South African figures for claims against private hospitals and nursing homes aren't available, with claims often settled quietly. In a high proportion of successful negligence claims against South African hospitals, nursing negligence is to blame.
The costly business of nursing negligence
What constitutes nursing negligence or malpractice?
“Nurses are responsible for performing their tasks within their scope of practice and for acting in the best interests of the patient at all times. Where failure to do this leads directly to harm to a patient, a personal injury claim may be pursued," sayas Kirstie Haslam, partner at DSC Attorneys.
In her thesis - Investigation into the factors contributing to malpractice litigation in nursing practice within the private healthcare sector of Gauteng - researcher Amy Williams notes that the moment a nurse acts irresponsibly and fails to perform a task according to policies and procedural guidelines, they can be liable for professional negligence."
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