title: Defending negligence claims.
abstract: When a surgical patient suffers injury away from the operative site, an inference is raised that care has fallen below a reasonable standard in the operating room. This was the central issue in Robertson v Hospital Corporation of America, a 'positioning' case heard in 1995 that should interest perioperative nurses and place further expert opinion in the operating room arena. The previous year, a United States court accepted expert evidence that the 'ultimate' responsibility for protection against ulnar nerve injury during a bilateral mastectomy lay with the anaesthetist.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Langslow
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009871:Operating Room Nursing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D017769:Ulnar Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States