IHP 420 Case_Study_ERountree.docx 4-3 Case Study: Claims of Negligence Southern New Ha

IHP 420 Case_Study_ERountree.docx    4-3 Case Study: Claims of Negligence  Southern New Hampshire University  IHP 420: Ethical & Legal Considerations  In the case study presented, a 46-year-old man was involved in an automobile accident and was alert and coherent to answer questions. He was taken my emergency personnel to the emergency room and was given by the ER physician 15 milligrams of morphine through his IV. The patient however needed a blood transfusion, but he refused. After several hours of being observed in the emergency room, he was transferred to a medical-surgical unit for observation. The next day he was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead. After his death it was found that the patient had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. It was founded that he did heroin and was drinking heavily the night of the accident. While in the ER, this information was not disclosed to the medical staff who tended to him after his accident. Years later, the patient™s estate is suing the physician for medical malpractice.   When considering the elements in this case for malpractice, we need to look at the typical practices of emergency rooms. It is critical for care purposes that medical staff obtain as much information about the patient that comes into the ER as possible. Did the staff question the patient as to if he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol? This is unclear from the case study, this information was not provided. Next, did the staff perform a drug panel or get any blood for traces of alco