Soundings
Soundings
A medical error
BMJ 2000; 320 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7244.1283/a (Published 06 May 2000) Cite this as: BMJ 2000;320:1283- George Dunea, attending physician
- Cook County Hospital, Chicago, USA
In the dying days of the first half of the last century, when ward sisters wore starched veils and hospital walls were painted green, an intern 10 days out of medical schoolwas summoned in the middle of the night to restart a clogged intravenous drip. This was done in those days by injecting 3.8% of sodium citrate, a procedure that doctors but notnurses were allowed to undertake.
Sleepily the intern made his way to the medical floor. A …
Log in
Log in using your username and password
Log in through your institution
Subscribe from £164 *
Subscribe and get access to all BMJ articles, and much more.
* For online subscription
Access this article for 1 day for:
£30 / $37 / €33 (excludes VAT)
You can download a PDF version for your personal record.