WebM&M Cases & Commentaries
WebM&M (Morbidity & Mortality Rounds on the Web) features expert analysis of medical errors reported anonymously by our readers. Spotlight Cases include interactive learning modules available for CME. Commentaries are written by patient safety experts and published monthly. Contribute by Submitting a Case anonymously.
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Approach to Improving Safety
- Communication Improvement 24
- Culture of Safety 2
- Education and Training 11
- Error Reporting and Analysis 10
- Human Factors Engineering 18
- Legal and Policy Approaches 5
- Logistical Approaches 3
- Policies and Operations 1
- Quality Improvement Strategies 14
- Specialization of Care 4
- Teamwork 5
- Technologic Approaches 8
Safety Target
- Alert fatigue 1
- Device-related Complications 6
- Diagnostic Errors 7
- Discontinuities, Gaps, and Hand-Off Problems 17
- Identification Errors 1
- Interruptions and distractions 3
- Medical Complications 7
- Medication Safety 16
- MRI safety 1
- Nonsurgical Procedural Complications 5
- Psychological and Social Complications 1
- Surgical Complications 1
- Transfusion Complications 1
Supervision and Entrustment in Clinical Training: Protecting Patients, Protecting Trainees
- new
- Spotlight Case
- CE/MOC
Olle ten Cate, PhD; November 2018
An ICU patient with head and spine trauma was sent for an MRI. Due his critical condition, hospital policy required a physician and nurse to accompany the patient to the MRI scanner. The ICU attending assigned a new intern, who felt unprepared to handle any crises that might arise, to transport the patient along with the nurse. While in a holding area awaiting the MRI, the patient's heart rate fell below 20 beats per minute, and the experienced ICU nurse administered atropine to recover his heart rate and blood pressure. The intern worried he had placed the patient's life at risk because of his inexperience, but he also felt uncomfortable speaking up.
An Untimely End Despite End-of-Life Care Planning
Giovanni Elia, MD; Susan Barbour, RN, MS; and Wendy G. Anderson, MD, MS; August 2018
Hospitalized in the ICU after cardiac arrest and loss of cardiac function for 15 minutes, an older man experienced worsening neurological status. After extensive discussions about goals of care, the family agreed to a DNR order. Over the next week, his condition declined, and the family decided to transition to comfort measures. Orders were written but shortly thereafter, the family spoke with the ICU resident and reversed their decision. The resident canceled the terminal extubation orders without communicating the order change to other team members. Another nurse found the canceled orders, thought it was an error, and asked another physician (who was also unaware of the change in plans) to reinstate the orders. The patient was extubated and died a few hours later.
Isolated Clot, Real Error
- Spotlight Case
- CE/MOC
Anna Parks, MD, and Margaret C. Fang, MD, MPH ; March 2018
One day after reading only the first line of a final ultrasound result (which stated that the patient had a thrombosis), an intern reported to the ICU team that the patient had a DVT. Because she had postoperative bleeding, the team elected to place an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter rather than administer anticoagulants to prevent a pulmonary embolism (PE). The next week, a new ICU team discussed the care plan and questioned the IVC filter. The senior resident reviewed the radiology records and found the ultrasound report actually stated the thrombosis was in a superficial vein with low risk for PE, which meant that the correct step in management of this patient's thrombosis should have been surveillance.
Signout Fallout
- Spotlight Case
- CE/MOC
Amy J. Starmer, MD, MPH, and Christopher P. Landrigan, MD, MPH ; February 2018
Admitted with an intracranial mass and hemorrhage, a woman with atrial fibrillation had been stable for several days when the ICU team and neurosurgeon decided that the benefits of low-dose DVT prophylaxis would outweigh the risk of serious bleeding. However, no dose or route of administration was specified, and the overnight resident ordered full-dose (rather than the prophylactic dose) anticoagulation. The hemorrhage grew and brain compression worsened, leaving the patient with no chance for meaningful recovery.
Right Place, Right Drug, Wrong Strength
Valentina Jelincic, RPh, and Julie Greenall, RPh, MHSc; February 2018
A hospitalized pediatric burn patient underwent dressing changes and burn inspection every third day. On those days she received oxycodone for pain, which allowed her to tolerate the painful procedures and to rest. After a dressing change one day, the mother noticed the child's breathing was shallow. That day the patient had received three doses of oxycodone, but because the automated dispensing machine had been stocked incorrectly with a higher concentration of oxycodone solution stored in the location normally reserved for the lower concention, she received nearly five times the dose ordered.
Communication Error in a Closed ICU
Barbara Haas, MD, PhD, and Lesley Gotlib Conn, PhD; May 2017
Admitted to the ICU with septic shock, a man with a transplanted kidney developed hypotension and required new central venous access. Since providers anticipated using the patient's left internal jugular vein catheter for re-starting hemodialysis (making it unsuitable to use for resuscitation), the ICU team placed the central line in the right femoral vein. However, they failed to recognize that his transplanted kidney was on the right side, which meant that femoral catheter placement on that side was contraindicated.
Cognitive Overload in the ICU
- Spotlight Case
- CE/MOC
Vimla L. Patel, PhD, and Timothy G. Buchman, PhD, MD; July/August 2016
Admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with acute respiratory distress syndrome due to severe pancreatitis, an older woman had a central line placed. Despite maximal treatment, the patient experienced a cardiac arrest and was resuscitated. The intensivist was also actively managing numerous other ICU patients and lacked time to consider why the patient's condition had worsened.
Lost in Sign Out and Documentation
Michael E. Detsky, MD, MSc; April 2016
During a hospitalization after a cardiac arrest, an older man underwent placement of a PEG tube for nutrition, and an abdominal radiograph the next day showed "free air under the diaphragm." Although the resident got a "curbside consult" from surgery saying this finding should be monitored, the consult was not documented in the chart. Two days later, the patient was urgently taken to surgery to repair a large gastric perforation and spillage of tube feeds into the peritoneum and then transferred to the ICU in septic shock.
A Fumbled Handoff to Inpatient Rehab
LauraEllen Ashcraft, MSW, and Jeremy M. Kahn, MD, MS; September 2015
An 18-year-old who sustained a traumatic brain injury after a motor vehicle collision required a decompressive craniectomy, a prolonged stay in the adult trauma intensive care unit, and a second operation (cranioplasty) several weeks later. After the second procedure, the patient was transferred to a pediatric acute rehabilitation facility, had new onset seizures the next day, and was transferred to an acute pediatric hospital for evaluation. Findings indicated that another surgical procedure was needed, and he was then transferred back to the adult trauma facility where he had his surgeries.
Breathe Easy: Safe Tracheostomy Management
Matthew S. Russell, MD, and Marika D. Russell, MD; July/August 2015
Admitted to the hospital with sepsis and pneumonia, an elderly man developed acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring mechanical ventilation. On hospital day 12, clinicians placed a tracheostomy, and a few days later the patient developed acute hypoxia and ultimately went into cardiac arrest when his tracheostomy tube became dislodged.
Benefits vs. Risks of Intraosseous Vascular Access
Raymond L. Fowler, MD, and Melanie J. Lippmann, MD; July-August 2014
During a code blue, an intraosseous line was placed in the left tibia of an elderly woman after several unsuccessful attempts to obtain peripheral venous access. Following chest compressions and advanced cardiovascular life support protocol, spontaneous circulation returned and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit. A few hours later, the left leg was dusky purple with sluggish distal pulses.
After-Visit Confusion
William Ventres, MD, MA; March 2014
A teenager presented to an urgent care clinic with new bumps and white spots near her tongue. Although she was diagnosed with herpetic gingivostomatitis, the after-visit summary incorrectly populated the diagnosis of "thrush" from the triage information, which was not updated with the correct diagnosis. The mistake on the printout caused confusion for the patient's mother and necessitated several follow-up communications to clear up.
Poorly Advanced Directives
Wendy G. Anderson, MD, MS; February 2012
An elderly man hospitalized with multiple medical conditions decided (with his family's blessing) on a DNR/DNI order. Following treatment, the patient was discharged home. Just days later a paramedic transporting the patient to the emergency department asked the family about advanced directives and they requested that "everything be done."
Near Miss with Bedside Medications
- Spotlight Case
Albert Wu, MD, MPH; November 2011
An elderly man discharged from the emergency department with syringes of anticoagulant for home use mistakenly picked up a syringe of atropine left by his bedside. At home the next day, he attempted to inject the atropine, but luckily was not harmed.
Mobility Lost in the ICU
- Spotlight Case
Jim Smith, PT, DPT, MA; October 2011
Admitted to the trauma service following severe injuries, a man is transferred to the ICU for mechanical ventilation. After 6 weeks of hospitalization, the patient's initial shoulder injury progressed to involve significantly limited mobility and pain, prompting concern that physical therapy should have been initiated earlier.
Communication Failure—Who's in Charge?
Jim Fackler, MD, and Jamie M. Schwartz, MD; October 2011
Residents and nurses assumed an ICU attending was conveying information to the surgeon and cardiologist about a toddler's deteriorating condition after heart surgery. However, none of the providers had a complete picture of the child's status, and he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Are We Pushing Graduate Nurses Too Fast?
Nancy Spector, PhD, RN ; March 2011
While caring for a complex patient in the surgical intensive care unit, a nurse incorrectly set up the continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) machine, raising questions about how new nurses should be trained in high-risk procedures.
Fatal Error in Neonate: Does "Just Culture" Provide an Answer?
- Spotlight Case
Sidney W.A. Dekker, PhD; June 2010
An infant born prematurely received a lethal overdose of lipid emulsion. The nurse involved in the incident was fired, and no further investigation occurred.
Medication Reconciliation Pitfalls
Robert J. Weber, PharmD, MS; February 2010
An elderly woman presented to the emergency department following a hip fracture. Although the patient's medication bottles were used to generate a medication list, one of the dosages was transcribed incorrectly. Because the patient then received four times her regular dose, her surgery was delayed due to cardiac side effects.
Nurse Staffing Ratios: The Crucible of Money, Policy, Research, and Patient Care
- Spotlight Case
Victoria Rich, PhD, RN; August 2009
Admitted to the ICU for COPD exacerbation and atrial fibrillation, a patient who had stabilized is left unattended in the bathroom while the nurse on an understaffed unit attends to a more emergent patient. An assistant later finds the patient on the floor, unresponsive and cyanotic.