title: Profiles in patient safety: sidedness error.
abstract: This case describes a 45-year-old woman with significant respiratory distress secondary to a left-sided pleural effusion that mandated an urgent thoracentesis. An adverse event occurred when the physician performed the procedure on the incorrect side of the patient. Results of the incident investigation followed by a discussion of medical errors models, common errors types, human factors considerations, and conditions that contribute to error are presented. Pertinent case-specific and general concepts of a system approach to reduce this type of medical error are discussed, and educational recommendations are offered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University School of Medicine, Providence, RI 02903, USA. mshapiro@lifespan.org
authors.forename: Marc J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Croskerry
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D004322:Drainage; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D019300:Medical Errors; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010808:Physical Examination; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014962:X-Ray Film