Doctor Mistakes — Article Cloze

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Read the article about surgical mistakes and choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.

Where is the safest place for sick people? You might be tempted to answer "the hospital," but unfortunately, at least in some countries, the rate of — choose —clipboardsurgicalconstantly — choose —schedulerecoverymishaps seems to be on the rise.

Surgical doctors have: removed the wrong kidney, left items like scissors and towels inside — choose —surgeondiseasepatients ' bodies, — choose —preventedamputatedreplaced the wrong cornea in an eye — choose —procedureoperationsurgery , removed the wrong part of a seizure-causing brain, and done the wrong — choose —procedureoperationdisease on the wrong patient. Such surgical mistakes can do — choose —paper trailunderstatementirreversible damage to a patient.

One such man was Nicolas Nickels. Mr. Nickels had a serious bodily — choose —recoverymishapsdisease that spread to both of his arms. His right arm was still healthy enough for — choose —diseasesurgeryrecovery , but his left arm — choose —all had gone wellwas too far goneas it turns out ; it needed to be removed.

Nicolas was worried about his — choose —surgeryoperationprocedure and had told the nurse to be sure the doctor — choose —postedamputatedoperates on the correct arm---the left one.

When the surgery was finished, the — choose —surgeonpatientsoperates told Nicolas' wife that — choose —was too far goneas it turns outall had gone well ---perfect. Unfortunately, when Nicolas woke up, his left arm was still — choose —attachedconstantlyposted , but half his right arm was missing. The doctor had — choose —amputatedoperatesreplaced the wrong arm. It is an — choose —irreversible damagepaper trailunderstatement to say that Nicolas was shocked.

As well, the doctor had to remove the bad arm later, leaving Mr. Nickels with no arms at all.

— choose —was too far goneas it turns outall had gone well , however, it wasn't completely the doctor's fault. It seems the hospital's record and information system had problems. Somewhere along the — choose —scheduleclipboardpaper trail a nurse or administrator had accidentally identified the bad arm as the right instead of the left. The charge nurse noticed the mistake and changed it in the computer system. Unfortunately, even though the information was correct on the patient's — choose —paper trailscheduleclipboard , the surgical room's — choose —postedreplacedattached — choose —postedclipboardschedule and the doctor's copy did not get replaced.

A patient's clipboard, or chart, has all the information and history relating to the patient's illness or injury. It usually hangs on the end of the bed. It is — choose —surgicalconstantlyattached updated with each change in information and with each visit from a nurse or doctor. A simple review of the chart before surgery could have — choose —insistpreventedreplaced the surgical mishap.

If you worry about having surgery, what can you do? The simplest thing you can do is to have your surgeon see you before the operation begins and before you are — choose —put underwas too far goneamputated and have him mark the place of surgery on your body.

— choose —insistpreventedoperates on it! It's your body.