Blake is one reason to put patient safety first

CNN has recently aired a new special: “25 Shocking Medical Mistakes” as part of the series, The Empowered Patient. The special tells stories of medical errors and explains what patients can do to empower themselves.

In fact, 98,000 people die every year from preventable medical errors, and recent studies have confirmed the problem is only getting worse.

One of the most compelling stories included was that of Blake Fought. See below for more on Blake’s story and watch the CNN clip here:

Blake of Blacksburg, Virginia, was a 19-year-old with an illness that required that he be hospitalized and given liquids and nutrition through an IV line placed through his neck. When he had recovered from his illness and was ready to go home, the hospital sent a nurse to remove the IV line. Unfortunately, the nurse had never been properly trained to remove such a line and she did not follow proper procedure. When Blake began to gasp for air, the nurses failed to respond, telling Blake he was anxious and needed to calm down. Due to the improper procedure, a bubble of air had entered Blake’s blood vessels and traveled to his heart. In front of the nurses and his own parents, who were there to take their son home, Blake asphyxiated and died.

For more information, read AAJ’s report: Medical Negligence: The Role of America’s Civil Justice System in Protecting Patients’ Rights.