Examine the professional & legal implications of surgical site marking - Essay Example

Examine the professional and legal implications of surgical site marking Examine the professional and legal implications of surgical site marking In many jurisdictions, surgical site marking has become a mandatory procedure. Professionally and legally, surgical site marking is intended to prevent wrong site surgery. Surgical site marking is intended to ensure that surgeries are conducted on the right patients, at the right location, and that the correct surgical procedure is performed (Dunn 2006, p. 318). Professional implications of wrong surgical site marking include revoking of surgical licenses of surgeons, creation of a bad reputation for the surgeons, among others.

Legal implications of failing to abide by surgical site marking procedures include compensation claims for negligence, punitive fines, and jail terms among others (Clarke, Johnston, Finley 2007, p. 397). Surgical site marking is professionally and legally intended to demonstrate commitment to quality and safety to patient care. Surgical site marking can be used to assure patients that they shall receive the best quality of care possible. It is also aimed at ensuring that health care providers can feel the sense of accomplishment when they pride themselves in providing quality health care to patients (Jhawar, Mitsis & Duggal 2007, p. 68). Failure of health care practitioners to abide by proper surgical site marking procedures can lead to them being deregistered as professionals in their respective field in case patients suffer harm as a result of negligence (Meinberg & Stern 2003, p. 194). Legally, health care provider who fail to abide by the surgical site marking procedures also risk legal action being taken against them for neglecting their professional duties.

As mentioned earlier, they may end up paying punitive fines, facing jail terms, or being barred from practicing.ReferencesClarke, JR, Johnston, J, Finley, ED 2007, ‘Getting surgery right’, Ann Surg, vol. 246, pp. 395-405.Dunn, D 2006, Surgical site verification: A through to Z’, J Perianesth Nurs, vol. 21, pp. 317-231.Dyer, C 2002, ‘Surgeons cleared of manslaughter after removing wrong kidney’, BMJ, vol. 325, no. 9.Jhawar, BS, Mitsis, D & Duggal, N 2007, ‘Wrong-sided and wrong-level neurosurgery: a national survey’, J Neurosurg Spine, vol. 74, pp. 67-72.

Meinberg, EG & Stern, PJ 2003, ‘Incidence of wrong-site surgery among hand surgeons’, J Bone Joint Surg, vol. 85, pp. 193-197.Seiden, SC & Barach, P 2006, ‘Wrong-side/wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong patient adverse events: are they preventable?’, Arch, vol. 141, pp. 931-939.