Medical malpractice

Patients Plea They’re Not Faking It After Nurses’ TikTok Videos

January 24, 2020 by James McHugh, Jr.
Patient receiving ct scan

The social media site TikTok is used to viral attention, however, this time the video-sharing platform is facing backlash as users respond to medical personnel videos mocking patients.

Several nurses have come under scrutiny after sharing videos mocking patients and their symptoms on social media. A nurse who goes by D Rose on TikTok shared that nurses know when patients are “faking it”. The initial outcry from viewers evolved into people around the country sharing their own personal horror stories of being dismissed and improperly cared for by healthcare staff. Many former patients shared their experiences of being passed over in emergency rooms or being dismissed, only to later have their symptoms diagnosed and treated.

The issue goes beyond a popular social media hashtag. The issue of healthcare staff neglecting patients involves more than just inconvenience. When medical personnel actively choose to ignore a patient and their symptoms, patients suffer. Such was the case in York, Pennsylvania when a patient sat dying in an emergency room for hours before eventually succumbing to their illness. It was reported that medical staff passed by the patient at least 12 times without taking action.

What is Hospital Negligence?

Many people would assume they will receive a high level of care and attention in a hospital; however, this is not always the case. Hospital negligence occurs when a hospital, doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional working in a hospital setting causes injury to a patient through a negligent act, an error, or an omission. Negligence can result from errors in diagnosis, treatment, health management, and aftercare.

When a hospital fails to provide the appropriate standard of care for a patient, hospital negligence may occur. Examples of hospital negligence by healthcare employees may include but are not limited to:

  • Failure to diagnose an injury or illness
  • Misdiagnosis of an injury or illness
  • Premature discharge
  • Unnecessary surgery
  • Surgical errors or wrong-site surgery
  • Improper medication or dosage
  • Disregarding a patient’s medical history
  • Failure to document a patient’s medical history
  • Failure to order proper testing

Failure to Receive Care in Proper Time

The majority of patient stories shared using the hashtag “#PatientsAreNotFakingIt,” targeting nurses’ TikTok videos, revealed failure to receive care in a reasonable time was a repeat problem. When medical personnel opt not to treat a patient for any reason, the consequences can be serious and life-threatening. In emergency situations, time is of the essence and can mean the difference between life and death.

Hospitals can be held liable for the negligence of individual physicians in certain circumstances, especially when the providers are employed by the hospital. This means that when hospitals fail to properly vet their healthcare staff and continue to employ incompetent medical personnel, they are potentially putting patients and others at risk.

Philadelphia Hospital Negligence Attorneys

When a person seeks emergency care, it usually involves a stressful situation. Worrying about whether or not they will be treated, and properly, only adds unnecessary stress and pain to a patient’s condition. Patients have the right to receive quality care and trust that medical staff has their best intentions at heart.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of hospital negligence in Philadelphia, contact our hospital negligence attorneys immediately to discuss your options at no charge. Time limitations apply to your potential medical malpractice claims, so do not delay in contacting the lawyers of Lopez McHugh to find out what your legal options are.

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