Today we will deal with the 5 common errors which can lead to brain injuries in newborns. Before moving forward please remember that this list is not exhaustive and is not in any order, as any one of these things can lead to disastrous results if left unchecked in some cases. For many families, questions arise following a brain injury at birth, especially when there is not a legitimate genetic/developmental issue present. During second opinions, some families can be alerted to birth trauma by another doctor answering their questions.
The 5 common errors which can lead to brain injuries in newborns is based on our experience, and working with co-counsel, in these types of cases.
ERROR #1 NURSES FAILING TO LISTEN
The first error occurs when nurses fail to listen to the complaints and concerns of mother. This can be in the form of mother talking about concerns with her body, especially if mom has given birth before and things are progressing in a “different” manner. Of course, there will be pain associated with childbirth, but in some cases, mothers can have concerns because to them, this particular labor and delivery might be progressing in an entirely different way. Nurses should listen to mom’s concerns and not ignore what is happening.
ERROR #2 NURSES FAILING TO CORRECTLY READ FETAL HEART MONITOR
The second error stems around nurses failing to properly interpret the reading from the fetal heart monitor. The fetal heart monitor is a device that is used to essentially help doctors and nurses assess fetal well-being. It can detect a condition called fetal distress, which can lead to the brain injury HIE, or hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, if the reduction of blood and oxygen continues without being rectified.
ERROR #3 NURSE NOT ACTIVATING THE CHAIN OF COMMAND/HOSPITAL PROTOCOLS
The third error surrounds nurses not activating their chain of command when problems occur. At the end of the day, nurses have an independent duty to the patients, mother, and baby. If at any time the nurse concludes that a doctor may not be acting in the best interest of her patients, the nurse must act. It is not enough for the nurse to just essentially stand around and wipe their hands of the situation because there is a doctor in the room or on the floor.
ERROR #4 DOCTORS FAILING TO CORRECTLY READ FETAL HEART MONITOR
Error number four is the same as error number two above. HIE is a serious medical condition and because this is the case, proper interpretation of the fetal strips is a must. One does not need to be a medical doctor to understand that any time there is a reduction of blood and oxygen, especially for a considerable amount of time, problems can occur.
ERROR #5 DELAY OR FAILING TO PERFORM EMERGENCY C-SECTION
For some mothers, the thought of a doctor or nurse causing their baby’s brain injury does not register because an emergency C-section was performed. In some instances, the problem is that the C-section is not done in time. To put the issue another way, the baby has already suffered the injury because the doctors and nurses did not move to an emergency C-section in enough time. This can occur when the fetal heart monitor has displayed continuous fetal destress and the doctors and nurses have failed to diagnose and treat the condition accordingly.
On the other hand, errors can obviously occur when an emergency C-section needs to occur, and the doctors do not perform one.
5 Common Errors Which Can Lead To Brain Injuries In Newborns
If your baby has suffered a brain injury at birth and you have questions, pick up the phone and call me. We can talk about the issues mentioned in this article if they apply to you and your situation or others which you have experienced. My contact information is below, and I will be happy to speak with you and listen to your baby’s story.
Marcus B. Boston, Esq.
2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 700
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815
1-833-4 BABY HELP
