Joleen Linton
25 Apr 2017 · Coroner Jason Pegg · Coventry
The coroner's concerns
1. hourly observations
“The practicality, adequacy and reliability of hourly observations”
2. assessment of patient breathing
“Evidence indicated that in consequence of lighting, distance and obstructions it was not practical to reliably assess, through the door window, whether a patient was breathing”
3. inaccurate patient position recording
“The recording of the patient's position in bed was not accurately recorded on the observation chart. At least one entry was, having regard to the evidence, obviously erroneous”
4. undetected chart errors
“Potential areas of concern, in relation to the completion of the observation chart, were not detected on the night”
5. staff reluctance to enter rooms
“There was a reluctance by members of staff to enter a patient's room to conduct observations”
6. policy clarity issues
“The extant Trust policy, in relation to observations, lacks the necessary clarity, direction and succinctness that can readily be understood and applied by the members of staff who undertake the observations on the ward”
Responses
No published response was found on judiciary.uk.