subject: Nurse Misses Symptoms Of Fetal Distress And Child Sustains Brain Damage [print this page] A scheduled vaginal delivery for a mother who has previously underwent a C-section ought to take into account that this puts the woman in danger of a ruptured uterus. An unborn baby obtains oxygen through the placenta. A ruptured uterus may thus lead to a serious decrease of oxygen that gets to the unborn child. Depending on the extent and the quantity of time concerned the newborn may suffer a brain injury which manifests with serious cognitive and neurological difficulties. It is consequently essential when planning a vaginal delivery for a woman with a prior C-section (known as a VBAC) to consider this risk into consideration.
Examine a recently documented lawsuit regarding an expectant mother who went to the hospital for a scheduled vaginal delivery of her child. She underwent a C-section in a previous pregnancy. But, the nurse applied a drug frequently employed to induce labor. The application of this medication , however, needs to be properly followed seeing that it can result in hyperstimulation of the uterus and become a significant problem notably at higher dosages. The nurse did not inform the attending physician that the pregnant woman's contractions became irregular Instead, as the contractions increased to obviously dangerous levels, the nurse continued to administer the drug.
The baby was denied essential oxygen for a period of roughly 18-20 minutes from what turned out to be a uterine rupture. The baby was in fetal distress during this time - a problem that can be tracked by a machine which monitors the unborn baby's heart rate. He has significant cerebral palsy. He cannot walk or talk. He is unable to hold anything in his hands. He is unable to eat without the use of a feeding tube. He can, though, recognize members of his family and is alert. Yet he will require 24/7 life assistance. The law firm that handled this matter announced that the case went to trial and the jury returned a verdict of $31 Million. This sum included $26,000,000 to cover future medical care.
As the matter discussed above illustrates nurses and hospital staff need to be able to recognize if complications arise during a pregnancy, need to know and understand the consequences and side effects of the drugs they give, and alert the physician of any signs that suggest there is a problem happening. Whether due to a deficiency of training, inexperience, overwork, or communication breakdowns, a failure in any (or as in this case all) of these areas can lead to devastating injuries to the child. If this occurs the family (both on their own behalf and on behalf of the baby) may be able to bring a case for malpractice. As this lawsuit furthermore illustrates - such claims, due to the nature and extent of the injury to the baby, can lead to a substantial recovery.
