The patient sued the hospital for malpractice after developing a postoperative DVT and PE.The nurse's notes did not state that TED hose and sequential compression devices (SCDs) were applied even though they were ordered.Why did the court rule in favor of the patient in the case?

A) DVT and PE can develop even if TED hose and SCDs are applied.
B) The patient was informed that DVT and PE are known surgical risks.
C) The nurse testified that SCDs and TED hose were applied as ordered.
D) The nurse failed to document that TED hose and SCDs were applied as ordered.

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Briyonna Rose'alyn · Accepted Answer

Final Answer : D, Explanation :  Documentation of nursing care is the only record of what actually was done for a patient and will serve as proof that a nurse acted reasonably and safely.Nursing notes written at the time of the event are seen as better evidence of the facts of the event than any one person's memory.Failure to document application of TED hose and SCDs as ordered violates the nursing standard of careful,complete charting of patient care.Oral testimony of the nurse is not as reliable as written documentation.The nurse's testimony that the SCDs and TED hose were applied might have led the court to find in favor of the nurse.The patient's informed consent did not lead the court to find in favor of the patient in the malpractice trial.DVT and PE can develop even if TED hose and SCDs are applied but the nurse's failure to document application of TED hose and SCDs led the court to rule in favor of the patient.

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