Scenario

• An anaesthetist and theatre sister are assisting an ear, nose and throat surgeon with an operation. In order to prevent the patient from choking in his own blood, the anaesthetist inserts a throat pack into the patient’s throat. Usually the anaesthetist is responsible for inserting and removing the throat pack. However, after the operation the anaesthetist does not remove the throat pack. The surgeon also does not remove the pack, and does not check with the theatre sister whether the it has been removed by the anaesthetist. The theatre sister’s job is to check that all swabs and packs have been removed. In this instance, she does not check her records or ask either the anaesthetist or the surgeon whether they have removed the throat pack. As a result the patient chokes and dies.

–Do you think that the anaesthetist, surgeon and theatre sister exercised the proper degree of care that would be expected from them by their professions? Why or why not?