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We might not realize this, but every time we go to the hospital, we put a lot of trust in the hands of doctors. We are confident that these specialists will do their best to help and heal us. However, what we often forget is that they’re still humans who are prone to errors. Sometimes, very detrimental ones that threaten lives and put healthcare institutions in tough situations. 

To learn more about this, a trauma surgeon under the nickname trauma.bae on TikTok asked fellow medical workers to share the most shocking hospital mistakes that had harrowing consequences. Our Bored Panda team collected the top answers to her question, which you can see for yourself down below.

While you're scrolling through, don't forget to check out a conversation with the trauma surgeon nicknamed trauma.bae on TikTok, who sparked this discussion and kindly agreed to tell us what inspired her to start it.

#1

Surgeons wearing masks and scrubs performing surgery under an operating room light in a hospital setting. Personal but my dad had 2 crushed discs and the surgeon took out the wrong ones. Sued, won, took his license.

britches , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

Maria Maria
Community Member
4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Finally a story with someone losing a license

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RELATED:
    #2

    Surgeon wearing mask and cap performing surgery, highlighting terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. It was my best friend's first baby. went in because her water broke. they sent her home and said she peed herself. turns out her water did break and baby was w/o amniotic fluid for 24 hrs. she went in for an emergency C-section. she kept telling the Drs that her legs were not numb yet, they started cutting anyways. she screamed so loudly until she passed out from the pain.

    Esme 🧿 , 洋 墨 / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #3

    Patient holding stomach while doctor in white coat reviews clipboard, highlighting terrifying mistakes made in hospitals. I kept going to the hospital with abdominal pain they kept sending me home telling me it was my period. I was actually having an ectopic pregnancy and my fallopian tube ruptured and I was dying

    Kathy , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Stephanie Did It
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As one who survived her own ruptured ectopic pregnancy, my heart goes out to OP. I wouldn't wish that misery on anyone.

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    Studies and reports claim that medical errors take between 250,000 and 440,000 people’s lives in the US every year. This makes hospital mistakes the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer. 

    Misdiagnosis in particular causes 371,000 deaths and 424,000 permanent disabilities in the US each year, which totals almost 800,000 people harmed by healthcare institutions due to incorrect diagnosis.

    Bored Panda reached out to the trauma surgeon nicknamed trauma.bae on TikTok, who recently sparked the discussion about hospital mistakes online, and kindly agreed to chat with us about it more.

    #4

    Surgeons and medical staff performing a procedure in an operating room highlighting hospital mistakes risks. I woke up in the middle of my OOO to my surgeon removing my ovary (+10cm endometriosis mass) raising it to her eyes singing the lion king song. They all looked at me and then knocked me back out

    Chameleonnnn , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #5

    Surgeon wearing protective glasses and mask performing a medical procedure highlighting hospital mistakes risk. Doctor was doing an angiogram on my grandma and stabbed it right through her heart… she was on life support for a few days but didn’t make it. My mom tried to sue, but they had 6 months to cover it up and magically didn’t have “any documentation” of what had happened. Autopsy showed that her death was a direct result from his mistakes. Ironically his name is Dr. Burke.

    Brooke | MN Hairstylist 🇺🇸🆘 , National Cancer Institute / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    sbj
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Does he have a colleague called Dr Hare?

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    #6

    Medical professional wearing gloves preparing a syringe to highlight mistakes made in hospitals and medical settings. Dr. Said a patient was faking being allergic to penicillin because he had Munchhausen’s. She then gave him penicillin anyway, and he went into cardiac arrest.

    domq21 , Mufid Majnun / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Kylie
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm allergic to penicillin. How DARE they?

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    She tells us that she was inspired to start the discussion with fellow medical workers online about medical errors because of a recent similar event that happened.

    "It was initially meant to be a gossipy kind of TikTok to hear the crazy stories out there. The reason I thought of it was because the story of the surgeon in Florida who removed someone’s liver instead of their spleen just came out, so that was still fresh in my head.

    As a surgeon, that’s actually the kind of stuff I talk about with my other surgeon friends and other healthcare workers because it’s so insane that you can’t not talk about it. I did not intend for it to be that deep, I was just using the “I’m bored” trend with a twist as a healthcare worker," she explained.

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    #7

    Doctor in white coat holding a clipboard and pen, symbolizing hospital mistakes and medical errors in healthcare settings. Sent my mom home from the ICU half conscious because she was uninsured. She died in her sleep.

    EliseMae11421 , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #8

    Patient lying in hospital bed with blood pressure cuff on arm, highlighting common hospital mistakes risks. A doctor at my hospital sent a pt home with a BP of 200/110 symptomatic and that pt was actually having an active stroke but the Dr wouldn’t listen… pt husband was an attorney

    Alicia , engin akyurt / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    YakFactory
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "pt husband was an attorney" - a problem for the doctor.

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    #9

    Surgeon wearing mask and cap performing a medical procedure, highlighting terrifying and horrible hospital mistakes risks While inside my mother the doctor was looking for the soft spot on my head and instead stabbed my eye with his finger causing me to become fully blind. Ending in a half million dollar lawsuit. 😭

    𝓔𝓶𝓶𝓪 🎀 , JC Gellidon / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    sbj
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No amount of money can compensate for the massive life changes that you and your family have to face because of their negligence

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    She tells us that the reasons for such mistakes are generally complicated and can include a lot of factors.

    "Most mistakes occur due to system issues, miscommunication, or human factors. Most errors are due to multiple mistakes as described in the Swiss cheese model rather than a single mistake."

    Indeed, many experts are blaming medical errors on the way the healthcare system itself is operating. System failures, inadequate or unclear communication between healthcare professionals, and staff shortages are common causes of medical mistakes.

    #10

    Medical professional putting on blue gloves illustrating hospital mistakes and safety risks in clinical settings. The doctor broke my water after I repeatedly told her not to. Then the nurse came in and checked me and said “she broke your water without your consent”

    Beba , Clay Banks / Unsplash 9not the actual photo) Report

    #11

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes My son’s grandmother was being treated for cancer. A nurse didn’t take note that she had already administered the chemo and she was double dosed, it k**led her. Major lawsuit that the family won.

    Adrian Marie , Chromatograph / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Nilsen
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A couple of years ago a toddler (2 y.o?) was given an adult dose. Same result....

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    #12

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes My mom's boyfriend went to the ER with complains. They scheduled him for an MRI. We had to chase them down the hallway-tv drama style. Not one dr or nurse read in his chart that he had a pacemaker.

    Char , Steven Fruitsmaak / Wikipedia (not the actual photo) Report

    Bored Sailor
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have had over 8 MRIs if in the USA the MRI tech asks a ton of questions, now they have special garments to wear to ensure no metallic material including underwear.

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    Because of this, the trauma surgeon believes that workers who make mistakes shouldn't always suffer serious consequences.

    "A punitive system does not reduce errors, it merely discourages errors from being reported out of fear and therefore has a worse effect on patient and staff safety.

    Healthcare workers need to be aware of medical errors so we can learn from them and try to prevent them from happening again. [Those] who make mistakes are usually given the outcomes of the root cause analysis and offered training and education on the issue to prevent it from happening again."

    #13

    Patient wearing oxygen mask receiving care from healthcare worker illustrating terrifying hospital mistakes in treatment. Patient woke up during his honor walk and asked what was going on

    lao , A. C. / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #14

    Surgical team in hospital operating room handling instruments, highlighting common terrifying and horrible hospital mistakes. Not a lawsuit but a c section was performed on a pt without anesthesia bc they couldn’t get an iv & the attending was scissor happy/anxious…I had to help hold her legs down. I quit shortly after

    Sarindipityyy , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Alexia
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    C section without anesthesia?? Sorry but in some countries, this is illegal. And inhuman.

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    #15

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes I worked in Florida and the absolute worst a pts lung biopsy tested + for Cancer. The surgeon removed the Wrong lung 🫁 then tried to cover it up. We were on CNN.

    baby bear mom , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    "The majority of errors are actual mistakes and not actions done with malicious intent," she adds.

    "So think of a wrong medication being given because two drug names are similar, not a Dr. Death-type situation. Yes, criminal cases of medical harm exist, but thankfully, those aren’t common, and those are not the kind of medical mistakes that I’m talking about now. In the TikTok I made, I did not specify either way and was welcoming stories of all kinds, ranging from honest mistakes to criminal and malicious cases."

    #16

    Healthcare professional in scrubs and mask putting on gloves, highlighting hospital mistakes and safety precautions. When my moms cousin and his wife’s newborn twins were getting discharged, the nurse accidentally cut off the baby’s pinky instead of the hospital bracelet 😅

    ava casillas , rawpixel.com / freepik (not the actual photo) Report

    #17

    Close-up of a propofol emulsion vial highlighting medication details related to hospital mistakes and safety concerns. I told the anesthesiologist that I was allergic to propofol- she told me that it was unlikely and gave it to me anyways once I went under… I then had an hour long seizure

    Ashley b , Erich gasboy / Wikipedia (not the actual photo) Report

    spacer
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    its honestly scary how little people care about allergies and keep thinking people are lying like what

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    #18

    Two doctors in white coats laughing and discussing medical mistakes made in hospitals with a tablet device. Told doctor I was considered with drop in fetal heart rate of my baby after a car accident. Doctor and RT laughed and said he was playing with the umbilical cord. Lost my son 3 days later at 27 weeks.

    simajoon , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Pink kitty
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think 'concerned' makes more sense than 'considered'

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    After hearing such stories, some people may become apprehensive about trusting healthcare workers. We asked the trauma surgeon for her thoughts on this.

    "First, I’d separate healthcare workers and healthcare institutions. The overwhelming majority of healthcare workers care very deeply about patients and are absolutely horrified about medical mistakes.

    Second, healthcare institutions are businesses. While they have a mission to provide excellent patient care, the ability to do so requires more than just the workers.

    In addition, the ability to run a good business and provide good patient care is highly variable among different facilities. Some institutions and systems function in ways that can lead to maximizing profits being a higher priority than patient care. I think it’s a well-known fact that the US healthcare system as a whole is broken and far from ideal," she explains.

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    #19

    Patient in hospital bed with doctor holding her hand, illustrating terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. After birth, they left my placenta inside me. I didn’t know until almost a week later when I asked the nurse why I was still bleeding out. I got rushed for an emergency d&c 🫠

    Kaylaa Mariee , RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

    Sage
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Many women need a D&C after birth, as you sometimes need to clean out some leftover tissue. I have never heard of the placenta being left inside. The body tends to push it out naturally.

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    #20

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes My mom had the most insane headache ever & was displaying other symptoms w/ intense back pain. They thought she only wanted narcotics & sent her away. Turned out to be meningitis and she has a CS leak

    itshailey , Daniel Martinez / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Mada57
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My wife was turned away 3 times from the ER with a "migraine" that turned out to be a massive heart attack. Luckily a resident performed a minor test and found it.

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    #21

    Two surgeons in sterile gear performing surgery in an operating room, illustrating hospital mistakes and medical risks. I went in to have a brain tumor removed. Surgeon told me 3 days later that he looked at my post-op scans and the tumor is still there. He removed healthy brain tissue next to the tumor. 🤷‍♀️

    Tiffany Jefferson , Olga Guryanova / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Nea
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These are horror stories honestly.

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    In general, she believes such stories shouldn't make people trust medical institutions less.

    "While stories of these medical mistakes shouldn’t make people trust institutions less, I’m not surprised if they do. Just remember, healthcare workers dedicate years of our lives training for our jobs, we have difficult and long shifts, and we continue to do it because we care deeply for all of our patients, and we genuinely want to help people."

    #22

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes My grandfather was turned away from an ER because he couldn’t speak and the person in charge thought he was being racist by not speaking. Turns out it was a brain aneurysm.

    Alex Suber , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Mreoww
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How does one even jump to that conclusion?

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    #23

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes My sisters OB recorded her blood type incorrectly so she never received her RH shot like she should have, she had to deliver a stillborn. They told her it happened because she was unmarried…

    MissGoldieSnap , Mufid Majnun / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #24

    Clear capsules spilled on a surface, illustrating terrible and horrible mistakes made in hospitals with medication handling. Student nurse gave crushed up PO meds and tap water via central line instead of in the NGT. Her preceptor had stepped away to take a phone call and explicitly told her not to do anything. Patient died

    Amanda Martin8381 , Mathilde Langevin / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Even though the scope of medical mistakes seems very significant, there’s less than a 0.1% chance that a person will suffer serious harm from misdiagnosis after a health care visit. Therefore, experts advise not to lose faith in the healthcare system, as no one is more knowledgeable than doctors in hospitals to help us with various health concerns.

    #25

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes Our transplant status was revoked because there was a doctor picking and choosing who got organs by falsifying records to make certain people seem like worse candidates.

    oikawakin2 , Curated Lifestyle / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Rinso The Red
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do I have a horrible feeling about who "certain people" is referencing?

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    #26

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes Our neonatologist refused to do our sons lifesaving surgery and said we should just let him pass away at 3 days old. The surgery worked btw.

    Mally & Nate Co , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one I can kind of understand neonatologist's thinking, (not expecting it to work and having it possibly prolonging baby's suffering) but to refuse to do the surgery is wrong. That is the family's decision and I'm glad they found someone who would do it.

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    #27

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes I’m allergic to propofol. It’s in my chart. Dr. at Mayo Clinic gave it to me anyways and lied saying I agreed to it although the nurses said I didn’t. I needed 3 epis &was in icu bc of this.

    Emma Rose , Nappy / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #28

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes They told my dad he just had sciatica, my dad had a tumor the size of a grapefruit growing on his femur and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

    gabs , National Cancer Institute / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Penelope Orange
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Just had sciatica". Sciatica is extremely painful, and can be debilitating. I can't stop reading these, but I am getting increasingly angry over the careless actions of medical personnel.

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    #29

    IV drip close-up in a hospital setting highlighting common terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. Postpartum nurse came to nicu to medicate mom who was doing skin to skin with infant. Pushed iv meds into wrong line and gave it to the baby instead 🙃

    Dr. Dre , Samuel Ramos / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Kylie
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It would help if these posters didn't assume so much kbnowledge from non medical readers.

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    #30

    Surgeon in hospital wearing protective gear and mask, focused on procedure highlighting hospital mistakes and safety concerns. Nurse at a major pediatric hospital ran a tube feed into a NICU patient's ET tube. Punishment was her having to talk about the mistake in an educational video about sentinel events and it was made into an EDUCATION MODULE that all nurses at that hospital had to complete.

    Soph , Aliburhan S / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Anthony Elmore
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    God d**n it people. I get what an NICU patient is, but the hell is an ET tube and why does it cause a sentinel event when you run a tube feed into it. Also, what the hell is a sentinel event. This isn't a prescription, people actually need to be able to read your reddit post 😂

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    #31

    Dark and eerie hospital corridor with dim lighting, symbolizing terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. We “lost” a body. Family was devastated, 2+ weeks.. whole time wanna know where it was?? In the hallways next to the MORGUE… HOW DID EVERYONE MISS IT? Cost the hospital MILLIONS in lawsuit..

    ox.ami_estilo , Andy Henderson / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Apachebathmat
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Two weeks out of cold storage? You’d smell it before you saw it. I call BS

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    #32

    Outstretched human arm and hand against a plain background illustrating mistakes made in hospitals. Trauma center sent home a deceased pt’s severed arm in a personal belongings bag with family, unbeknownst to the family till they got home 😫

    Samantha Lewis , Juan Pablo Serrano / Pexels (not the actual photo) Report

    Kylie
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I seriously have to question some of these.

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    #33

    Surgeons in sterile gloves passing surgical tools during a procedure highlighting hospital mistakes risk. I had routine gallbladder removal surgery, I bled out at home, went into septic shock, hemoglobin was a 5, and went into kidney failure. The surgeon forgot to clip my vessels lol.

    ThechroniclesofKass , César Badilla Miranda / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Remi (He/Him)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Possible that the vessels were clipped but badly. A famous singer Tapani Kansa (super famous in Finland that is) died just this year because of internal bleeding after gallbladder removal. They sent him home after surgery even though he was in bad shape. Ended up back on an ambulance ride soon after, but he had lost too much blood

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    #34

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes Nurse tried to send me home on concussion protocol, refusing a CT, after I got one it was discovered I had 3 brain bleeds and was rushed to ICU

    char;) , MedicAlert UK / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got sent home after a concussion, even though I didn't know what year it was or had any idea how long I'd been unconscious. I still have memory issues 1 1/2 years later.

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    #35

    Surgeon wearing surgical mask and headlamp focused during operation illustrating hospital mistakes and errors risk. My old anatomy professor at my community college was a former surgeon that had left instruments in his patients… multiple times…

    Imani Williams , Aliburhan S / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Jamie Peterson
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Count. The. Sharps. Count the Instruments. Basic techniques that always work!!

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    #36

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes They said my records showed I was HIV+ after I went in concerned I was in prelabor. I was hysterical, 8 months pregnant, confused looking at my hubby and him looking at me! It was an error.

    Kdee , National Cancer Institute / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Sage
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was falsely pre-diagnosed with chlamydia. Trust was certainly shattered between my partner and I until they realized their mistake.

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    #37

    Told us my sister was faking being sick bc she was fat(they literally used the word, she was 11) turns out it was actually cancer that went undiagnosed for another 2 years until it [ended] her

    Anastasia Umana Report

    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Doctors really need to be taught (though it shouldn't be necessary) to treat overweight people as people, like any other patient! Until you know (from evidence) that a patient is uncooperative with treatment etc, you should treat them as any other person that requires treatment for a condition. I have been overweight at times because of medication side affects and I know how hard it is to lose weight even if you desperately want to. Especially if you have other conditions that make it harder to exercise, like my fibromyalgia.

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    #38

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes This one nurse was checking a man’s blood pressure consistently throughout the day. the guy was dead. she didn’t report it. she made up the blood pressures.

    evie , Curated Lifestyle / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #39

    My grandma went in for a normal colonoscopy. Died on the table twice because they punctured her small intestines. They were able to get her stable and she’s ok now thank God.

    Makenna Stephens | sahm Report

    Remi (He/Him)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How do you puncture the small intestine during colonoscopy even? Colonoscopy is normally the large intestine only

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    #40

    Doctor attempted a risky procedure to deliver baby. Ended up internally decapitating said baby and another one a month later. The risky move wasn’t even needed he just wanted to try it. Still licensed

    user180627 Report

    #41

    Medical warming device plugged in on hospital wall, highlighting common hospital mistakes with equipment use and maintenance. Travel nurse didn’t check a patient in the bear hugger for the full 12 hour shift. They were 106 when day shift came on and did bedside report.

    TheHappyHiveCo , Dmadeo / Wikipedia (not the actual photo) Report

    #42

    Female medical professional wearing mask, glasses, and surgical cap, highlighting hospital mistakes and safety concerns. New grad hooked up tube feed to a dialysis permcath. Patient died 😬 Still can’t figure out how she got them connected.

    Halothirtyfive , Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #43

    50 Times Hospitals Were Involved In Lawsuits Due To Awful Mistakes When my father had a heart attack the EMTs took him to a hospital 35 mins away vs the newly renovated one 3 blocks away 😁 he died

    taylorshelz812 , Yassine Khalfalli / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Nea
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That smilie before ‘he died’ is something.

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    #44

    My mom had surgery in her neck. They accidentally left gauze in her neck. They had to cut her open again to take it out. She won that lawsuit quick & gave me $20,000

    GoddessMilani💫 Report

    JB
    Community Member
    4 months ago

    This comment has been deleted.

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    #45

    Routine colonoscopy, not given enough anesthesia, so much pain caused muscles to tighten up, scope scraped my instine, massive gi bleed. Need transfusions and spent 4 days in the hospital

    Sophie Slater Report

    Earonn -
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hell, how did they do that colonoscopy? I had nothing and it was at worst "unpleasant". Yes, each person is different, but if they got anaesthesia and needed more because of the pain, it sounds like the doc rammed the endoscope into them with force...

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    #46

    Pt complaining of heart burn for weeks. Was only 30. ER refused an EKG or anything because “he’s too young for heart problems.” Discharged him. He died that night in his bathroom.

    arcanesniper Report

    spacer
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    my god no one is EVER too young for anything. just because the average person with these issues is something doesnt mean people below that age can never suffer any problems related to that. awful mindset

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    #47

    Gave patient the wrong blood and they died

    Sej Report

    #48

    Medical team performing surgery in a hospital, highlighting terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. Doctor did c section on patient who wasn’t even pregnant

    Meg | NYC & Travel ✈️ , gpointstudio / freepik (not the actual photo) Report

    G A
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And how did NONE of the surgical team question this? BS.

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    #49

    Guy comes in unresponsive. Hospital calls family saying he’s basically brain dead. Family says pull the plug. Turns out they mixed him up w/ his roommate.

    Amateur_hour Report

    spacer
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    how do you decide something like that over the phone tho? you have no way of verifying the person youre talking to is an actual relative or have a legal right to decide that.

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    #50

    fetal demise. decapitation from delivery. provider didn’t tell the family. the funeral home called the parents in doing funeral prep and said “uhhh did you know?” immediate law suit.

    sam i am Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This usually happens when forceps are used to try and extricate the baby, or the attending surgeon uses their hands to assist delivery and pulls too hard, literally severing the baby's spine internally, resulting in its death even as it is being born. Absolutely horrific.

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    #51

    mine isn't dramatic but traumatic. had a hysterectomy at 26, the surgeon cut thru my intestines by mistake. ive had 17 surgeries since due to that.

    hippiesportschick Report

    #52

    My papa died from his cancer bc the hospital insisted his insurance was denying the care but when he talked to the company they said it was covered. they were submitting a different patients info

    grimbrosia Report

    #53

    My trans cousin had a hysterectomy. He went to the ER the next day with pain. They completely brushed him off. Said he asked for surgery and surgery is painful. He died the next day (internal bleed)

    Meg Elizabeth Grace Report

    Jamie Peterson
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am sorry for your loss. ALL surgeries carry risk. That much more reason not to have 'Elective' surgeries. My sympathies for your cousin.

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    #54

    Patient lying in hospital bed with IV drip in hand, highlighting common terrifying and horrible mistakes in hospitals. Tried calling my nurse while in labor. she told me she didn't think it was important. I delivered my baby by myself. but my baby fell head first on the floor. the Doc came in and she was Livid!!!

    Amanda Jim , Stephen Andrews / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Sage
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Head first onto the floor from...the bed? Is it okay? That's kind of what people would like to know!

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    #55

    not my hospital, but just a few hours away. anesthesiologist forgot to administer a medication. woman was fully conscious during surgery but paralyzed. woke up with blood curdling screams.

    Katy Report

    Harry Gondalf
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lucky she didn't expire with shock

    #56

    Nurse gave whole vial of insulin, patient ended up in ICU

    lexi renee Report

    SadFatTortilla
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Im pretty certain an entire vial would have sent them to the morgue

    #57

    My grandma was having a triple bypass and they gave her the wrong blood. She lived. Craziest part is she was an ER nurse at this hospital.

    Breanna Trozzo 🌿 Report

    #58

    I had sepsis, went to the ER, was there for 3 hours and they sent me home because they thought it wasn’t serious, had to go straight back 7 hours later because it got way worse and I could have died.

    Analiese🤍⭐️ Report

    #59

    A nurse gave cough syrup through the IV

    Jocelyn Tobias Report

    #60

    My cousin's dentist said she was good to drive herself home after having her wisdom teeth taken out even tho she’d been sedated and was out of it… she ended up crashing and dying that day

    screeeeeee Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How utterly horrific. I had 7 wisdom teeth that I had extracted when I was 18 - they wouldn't LET me drive myself home; I HAD to have an adult come with me to the procedure to drive me home. I know some people who have fewer wisdom teeth sometimes have their surgeries only with a local anesthesia, but I was fully "put under" and it sounds like OP's cousin was, as well.

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    #61

    Federal inmate escaped from my hospital… because a CO was sleeping while the other took a potty break 😅

    margo Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    CO = correctional officer. To wit, the guards who were supposed to be keeping an eye on the federal inmate XD

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    #62

    Did 13 surgeries on my son before finding out they misdiagnosed him.

    christin_breezy Report

    #63

    Our ed had to call the fire department because there was not enough employees to cover the emergency room, so they called them in for help.

    Ashleigh Benavidez Report

    Rosemary .
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I guess they would be helpful if any of the patients were on fire.

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    #64

    A family at our hospital identified a John Doe wrong and gave away his organs. It was not their son.

    A-M Cull Report

    #65

    Not the one I worked at but the one I was born at had an anesthesiologist that killed mom/baby while giving epidural. He was drunk. Punctured an artery and anesthesia flooded in.

    injectornikki Report

    #66

    This happened here in South Africa. A patient came in for heart burn and the nurse gave him Gaviscon(which your meant to drink) via his IV line. He died

    Cait Report

    Sage
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You usually give IVs for heart burn? Here, they take blood first to see if an IV is necessary.

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    #67

    Patient was in SVT. They defibrillated instead of doing a synchronized cardioversion. Patient went into v fib and died.

    Lindsey Schwalbach Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "SVT stands for Supraventricular Tachycardia, a condition where the heart beats too fast due to abnormal electrical signals originating in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart. It's a common type of arrhythmia, and while usually not life-threatening, it can cause uncomfortable symptoms." - generally NOT treated by defibrillator as it is not a ventricular fibrillation situation. Generally treated by either an adenosine injection or by the Valsalva maneuver ("performed by a forceful attempt of exhalation against a closed airway, usually done by closing one's mouth and pinching one's nose shut while expelling air, as if blowing up a balloon.")

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    #68

    A surgeon removed a patients liver instead of his spleen after convincing him he would d*e if he didn’t have the surgery asap

    victoriaaaahhh25 Report

    #69

    Nurse thought they were giving iv Tylenol which goes over 15 mins, they connected a bag of Levo that was bedside and ran the entire bag of Levo over the 15 mins, pt coded and got ROSC, pt brain dead

    Kay Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ROSC = "Return of Spontaneous Circulation", meaning the patient's heart DID restart beating. Unfortunately it sounds like their brain had gone too long without oxygen and they had sustained catastrophic brain damage from that. Not sure what medication "Levo" refers to, however. Levophed (norepinephrine) perhaps?

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    #70

    I went in for a colonoscopy and was experiencing extreme delusions and psychosis when I came to. Found out later that the anesthesiologist was mixing stuff he shouldn’t have been mixing.

    Em Report

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #71

    My aunt got sick in covid time, the er docs were intubating her and broke one of her teeth, dragged it all the way down to the lungs and left it there... she almost died from all the complications...

    Axia.22 Report

    #72

    My mom is a nurse. Took care of son of Sam. Anyway…. Back in the day her nurse colleague was arrested for pulling up and injecting toilet water into her patients.

    heathroooo Report

    Earonn -
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For my fellow Europeans and everyone else who needs the info - "Son of Sam" was the nickname of a serial killer in the 1970s.

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    #73

    Friend of a friends mother got admitted for a UTI. The hospital malpractice caused amputation of both arms and legs. They won the lawsuit and got millions. Mother unfortunately died not long after.

    Alondra Diaz Report

    Patsy Robins
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sounds rather more like complications of sepsis than malpractice.

    #74

    My uncle's wife was scratched by a racoon. She was on antibiotics in the hospital. They stopped the medication prematurely. Infection came back. Bad and fast. Died a few days later. He won the lawsuit

    bheinl Report

    #75

    A woman came in for a cholecystectomy. She went under and was confused for another woman getting her right leg amputated. They took her healthy leg 😫

    jennifermckimmie2 Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A cholecystectomy is a surgery to remove the gallbladder - meaning that, not only did they remove this woman's entirely healthy, normal leg, they also FAILED to actually perform the cholecystectomy to remove her gallbladder. She probably ended up needing to go into surgery again at some point to ACTUALLY receive the cholecystectomy. How horrifying.

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    #76

    Surgeon at my hospital was doing endoscopic suturing, when he tried pulling the scope out there was lots of resistance… turns put he sutured the scope to the patient’s stomach 🙂

    pharoe_1 Report

    #77

    My brother was stillborn and it was the doctor‘s fault, and while my mom was on painkillers they made her sign an indemnity clause so they couldn’t get sued, and then they told her.

    Tom Martin Report

    spacer
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that shouldnt be legally binding like what

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    #78

    my grandma was discharged w an UTI, it was heart failure, went to another hospital days later, they said her scans were showing the beginning of a stroke but “nothing to worry”, was discharged & d!ed

    rae Report

    #79

    My son was born at 26 weeks and developed hydrocephalus, the neurosurgeon that placed his shunt didn’t give him enough tubing. After 2 surgeries from “his shunt pieces failing” (where they could have seen he didn’t have enough tubing in his stomach)… we were in Texas, he had grown enough to where the tubing was hitting his sternum and we had to be life flighted to Cooks Children in Dallas where they had to do emergency surgery to completely replace the shunt and tubing.

    Taylor Smith Report

    Stephanie Did It
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My friend's son was born in an army hospital and was brought to her with a mysterious dent in his forehead and having seizures. The doctors and staff had "no idea" what caused the damage. He lived as a quadriplegic until he was 19. No one was ever made accountable.

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    #80

    Pt died in the waiting room and wasn’t noticed…for hours

    Amber Prong Report

    S Pol
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That happened in NY, right? That made the news

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    #81

    Hospital cleaning staff in protective gloves using a vacuum cleaner on hospital floor highlighting hospital mistakes Not me but a close friend who worked at a hospital. the janitor hated the beeping sound that a freezer made so he unplugged it. It was 20 years worth and thousands of frozen eggs & embryos.

    🚨🇺🇸 🆘 It's Chi 💙 , freepik (not the actual photo) Report

    T'Mar of Vulcan
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's based on the urban legend of a South African hospital where the cleaner unplugged the life support machine to plug in the floor polisher. Never happened.

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    #82

    Called and said I had diabetes whole time it was a 76 year old man’s results and not mine

    aaliyah ryne’ Report

    #83

    Never sued but my husband went to urgent care for a cold. They sent him home with antibiotics and nothing else. It was the beginning stages of leukemia.

    rat baby 💗🐀 Report

    Stephanie Did It
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And antibiotics would have been useless for a cold anyway.

    #84

    My nurse was gonna push potassium so I could go home early. I stopped her

    Heisenberg Report

    #85

    Told my mom she had a blood clot on her spine. A year later they said It was a tumor & it had spread to her brain & lungs. She died 8 months after that.

    Casey 🖤 Report

    #86

    Worked at an ophthalmology office and the Dr injected a steroid straight into this mans eye when usually it went onto the “surface” and he basically went blind and needed emergency surgery the same day

    Karina Report

    Sage
    Community Member
    Premium
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What surgery is done to fix "steroid in eyeball"?

    #87

    I had a cesarean and they damaged all the nerves in my stomach and I’m still struggling with pain and health issues since then.

    Amz Report

    #88

    Don’t work at a hospital but my dad is a lawyer. He sued a hospital because there was a doctor purposely injecting carbon dioxide or something into his patients’ bloodstreams and killing them 👀

    Kennedy Report

    #89

    They gave my dying grandma a rotten liver

    Mr cornball Report

    Fellfromthemoon
    Community Member
    4 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As an organ donation or as lunch? I don't want to joke, I'm honestly baffled.

    #90

    A paralysed patient uses a heat pack on her back. She ended up getting burnt without realising, developed sepsis and passed 🥺

    💚 Report

    Ahnjunwan
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think at least half of the stories here are BS. Some things just could not have happened that way, the rest was 🤯

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    #91

    A resident surgeon made the sutures surrounding a new ostomy way too tight, the ostomy went necrotic and started to spread to the remainder of her bowels. She went back into surgery but idk what happened

    grace Report

    LakotaWolf (she/her)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    An ostomy is a hole (stoma) in your body created by a surgical procedure. They can be placed in different places for different reasons, but the most commonly-known is for a colostomy bag.

    #92

    Healthcare worker wearing blue gloves preparing a syringe, highlighting common terrifying and horrible mistakes made in hospitals. Nurse gave Vecuronium instead of versed for mild sedation before a CT scan…yup…

    Areen | BSN, RN 🩺 , A. C. / Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    Ahnjunwan
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh how nasty! For explanation, it is a muscle relaxant but it does not knock you out. What happens is,your muscles for breathing and so on do not work anymore but you are fully aware of it. Howa nurse does that accidently remains a mystery to me, though. I know that in the US in many operations the anesthesia is performed by a nurse and the actual anesthesist is overlooking many operations at the same time but a CT? Wild

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    #93

    I win. Had a pt come in for labor with twins, c section. Surgeon cut too deep she lost both her babies.. they didn’t clean her out after well enough and she was sent home with necrotizing fasciitis.

    Hannah Report

    #94

    My mom kicked in the head by a horse at age 11. Doctors sent her from ER saying it was just soft tissue trauma. She was vomiting blood all night. Prnts took her back in AM… deadly subdural hematoma

    Anna Crowe Report

    Lukas (he/him, it/its)
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Your mother was kicked in the head by a horse, and taken back in with a deadly subdural hematoma... at age eleven? So, your mother died when she was eleven. Yes, young mothers exist, but seeing as this comes from Tiktok...

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    #95

    Had a OB doctor come in drunk all the time wasn’t a big deal they said till he was on call when the CEO’s wife was the patient

    mama_feldkamp00 Report

    YakFactory
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why was the CEO's wife more important than all the other patients? A doctor treating any patient when they're drunk is not acceptable?

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    #96

    A guys girlfriend dressed up as a nurse to stay at the hospital and was convinced she could save him…he coded….she did “cpr” he died. She tried to sue the hospital.

    trulypaiige Report

    Clown fish
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    🤔 hmmm ok how was she getting a round the hospital without a key card ? An know one batted an eye at a nurse they never seen before hanging around

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    #97

    I was with a patient with my dad and told the patient who had broken legs, who healed, "don't break a leg!", as a joke

    醤油魚//soysaucefish🐟 Report

    #98

    I think I’ll win this. someone wrapped a stillborn in sheets and EVS came to clean the morgue and found a ball of sheets in one of the bays and thought it was dirty laundry so they threw it away

    Isabel Baiz Report

    spacer
    Community Member
    4 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    youre not winning anything? horrible attitude to have about someones loss and death

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