Reasons to avoid a hospital after lunch

As a general rule, medical professionals do a good job whenever a Florida patient sees them. However, they may not be at peak performance in the afternoon. This is partially because they fall victim to the energy slump that many people experience just after lunch. Circadian lows in the afternoon could also lead to more mistakes during a surgery, according to research from Duke University.

The research showed that there was a greater chance of an anesthesiologist making an error at between 3 p.m and 4 p.m. compared to at 9 a.m. Doctors may be more likely to prescribe an antibiotic in the afternoon as opposed to other times of the day. This is because that doctor may have less willpower after dealing with patients all day according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. In some cases, antibiotics will be prescribed even when they aren’t necessary.

Like most other professionals, surgeons and other hospital workers have shifts that last for eight hours. Therefore, it is possible that a shift change could happen in the middle of a procedure. If the outgoing team doesn’t communicate properly with the incoming team, it could have negative consequences for a patient. Finally, a 2015 study found that nurses and other caregivers may not wash their hands as often in the afternoon even if they have a professional obligation to do so.

If hospital negligence leads to an injury or illness, the patient may be entitled to compensation. Negligence may include a doctor prescribing an unnecessary medication or a surgeon making a mistake during a procedure. Generally speaking, fatigue is not an excuse for making a medical error. Patients who have been harmed in these types of incidents might want to meet with a medical malpractice attorney to discuss their situation.