When Surgery Goes Wrong: The Importance of the Patient’s Voice

Authors

  • Kapka Petrov

Keywords:

patient safety, surgical errors, patient experience

Abstract

In 2009, at the age of 33 and in previously excellent health, I woke up with severe right upper abdominal pain on an April night. I ended up in a local hospital, after waiting in the ER for over 9 hours, I was seen by a doctor who dismissed my symptoms and sent me home. A few days later I was feeling very sick and was vomiting and, once again, struggling with excruciating right abdominal pain. I returned to the same hospital. On this visit I was hospitalized due to pancreatitis and for five days I was on IV fluids and narcotic painkillers before having my gallbladder removed laparoscopically. After the surgery I was sent home approximately 6 hours later. I was unable to move, eat, stand, sit or take care of myself and my family.

Author Biography

Kapka Petrov

Kapka Petrov lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and daughter. She spoke about her personal surgical and post-surgical experiences, with the theme “Perioperative Nurses: The Need for Strong Advocates in Patient Safety,” at the 2015 ORNAC National Conference in Edmonton, AB. She has become vocal advocate for patient safety through the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) and was featured in a National Post article entitled “Toxic gas, accidental burns and surgeries gone wrong: A look at medical mistakes in Canada” (September 20, 2015). Her story is also the focus of a CPSI video that can be found at http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/en/toolsresources/member-videos-and-stories/pages/kapka-petrov.aspx. Kapka can be contacted with questions at kapkapetrov@gmail.com.

Downloads

Published

2016-03-01

How to Cite

Petrov, K. (2016). When Surgery Goes Wrong: The Importance of the Patient’s Voice. Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada Journal, 34(1), 37–41. Retrieved from https://ornacjournal.ca/index.php/ornac/article/view/12193

Issue

Vol. 34 No. 1 (2016): March/mars 2016

Section

ORNAC Network