Retained Surgical Items: Lessons from Australian Case Law of Items Unintentionally Left Behind in Patients after Surgery
Article
Cockburn, Tina, Davis, Juliet and Osborne, Sonya. 2019. "Retained Surgical Items: Lessons from Australian Case Law of Items Unintentionally Left Behind in Patients after Surgery." Journal of Law and Medicine. 26 (4), pp. 841-848.
| Article Title | Retained Surgical Items: Lessons from Australian Case Law of Items Unintentionally Left Behind in Patients after Surgery |
|---|---|
| ERA Journal ID | 33514 |
| Article Category | Article |
| Authors | Cockburn, Tina (Author), Davis, Juliet (Author) and Osborne, Sonya (Author) |
| Journal Title | Journal of Law and Medicine |
| Journal Citation | 26 (4), pp. 841-848 |
| Number of Pages | 8 |
| Year | 2019 |
| Publisher | Lawbook Co. |
| Place of Publication | Australia |
| ISSN | 1320-159X |
| Abstract | The retention of items within a patient after surgery is considered to be serious issue within the health care community. Termed a 'sentinel event', a retained surgical item (RSI) is one of eight reportable adverse events deemed to have the potential to seriously undermine the health care system in the eyes of the public. Yet, despite the gravity of these events, there has been little opportunity for the courts to examine the liability issues surrounding RSIs. The article reviews the limited case law in this area and analyses the key legal issues which arise in claims for redress, including civil, criminal and disciplinary liability, involving those who have suffered harm from RSIs. |
| Keywords | unintentional retained surgical item, unintentional retained foreign body, RSI, sentinel event, medical negligence, patient safety, perioperative practice, perioperative nursing |
| ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 420501. Acute care |
| Public Notes | Access contact details of author and request access via this URL: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/132067/ |
| Byline Affiliations | Queensland University of Technology |
| Griffith University | |
| School of Nursing and Midwifery | |
| Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
| Funding source | Grant ID QUT School of PHSW Small Grant, $20,000 |
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