We might not realize this, but every time we go to the hospital, we put a lot of trust in the hands of doctors. We are confident that these specialists will do their best to help and heal us. However, what we often forget is that they’re still humans who are prone to errors. Sometimes, very detrimental ones that threaten lives and put healthcare institutions in tough situations.
To learn more about this, a trauma surgeon under the nickname trauma.bae on TikTok asked fellow medical workers to share the most shocking hospital mistakes that had harrowing consequences. Our We team collected the top answers to her question, which you can see for yourself down below.
While you’re scrolling through, don’t forget to check out a conversation with the trauma surgeon nicknamed trauma.bae on TikTok, who sparked this discussion and kindly agreed to tell us what inspired her to start it.
#1
Personal but my dad had 2 crushed discs and the surgeon took out the wrong ones. Sued, won, took his license.
#2
It was my best friend’s first baby. went in because her water broke. they sent her home and said she peed herself. turns out her water did break and baby was w/o amniotic fluid for 24 hrs. she went in for an emergency C-section. she kept telling the Drs that her legs were not numb yet, they started cutting anyways. she screamed so loudly until she passed out from the pain.
#3
I kept going to the hospital with abdominal pain they kept sending me home telling me it was my period. I was actually having an ectopic pregnancy and my fallopian tube ruptured and I was dying
Studies and reports claim that medical errors take between 250,000 and 440,000 people’s lives in the US every year. This makes hospital mistakes the third most common cause of death after heart disease and cancer.
Misdiagnosis in particular causes 371,000 deaths and 424,000 permanent disabilities in the US each year, which totals almost 800,000 people harmed by healthcare institutions due to incorrect diagnosis.
We reached out to the trauma surgeon nicknamedtrauma.baeon TikTok, who recently sparked the discussion about hospital mistakes online, and kindly agreed to chat with us about it more.
#4
I woke up in the middle of my OOO to my surgeon removing my ovary (+10cm endometriosis mass) raising it to her eyes singing the lion king song. They all looked at me and then knocked me back out
#5
Doctor was doing an angiogram on my grandma and stabbed it right through her heart… she was on life support for a few days but didn’t make it. My mom tried to sue, but they had 6 months to cover it up and magically didn’t have “any documentation” of what had happened. Autopsy showed that her death was a direct result from his mistakes. Ironically his name is Dr. Burke.
#6
Dr. Said a patient was faking being allergic to penicillin because he had Munchhausen’s. She then gave him penicillin anyway, and he went into cardiac arrest.
She tells us that she was inspired to start the discussion with fellow medical workers online about medical errors because of a recent similar event that happened.
“It was initially meant to be a gossipy kind of TikTok to hear the crazy stories out there. The reason I thought of it was because the story of the surgeon in Florida who removed someone’s liver instead of their spleen just came out, so that was still fresh in my head.
As a surgeon, that’s actually the kind of stuff I talk about with my other surgeon friends and other healthcare workers because it’s so insane that you can’t not talk about it. I did not intend for it to be that deep, I was just using the “I’m bored” trend with a twist as a healthcare worker,” she explained.
#7
Sent my mom home from the ICU half conscious because she was uninsured. She died in her sleep.
#8
A doctor at my hospital sent a pt home with a BP of 200/110 symptomatic and that pt was actually having an active stroke but the Dr wouldn’t listen… pt husband was an attorney
#9
While inside my mother the doctor was looking for the soft spot on my head and instead stabbed my eye with his finger causing me to become fully blind. Ending in a half million dollar lawsuit. 😭
She tells us that the reasons for such mistakes are generally complicated and can include a lot of factors.
“Most mistakes occur due to system issues, miscommunication, or human factors. Most errors are due to multiple mistakes as described in the Swiss cheese model rather than a single mistake.”
Indeed, many experts are blaming medical errors on the way the healthcare system itself is operating. System failures, inadequate or unclear communication between healthcare professionals, and staff shortages are common causes of medical mistakes.
#10
The doctor broke my water after I repeatedly told her not to. Then the nurse came in and checked me and said “she broke your water without your consent”
#11
My son’s grandmother was being treated for cancer. A nurse didn’t take note that she had already administered the chemo and she was double dosed, it k**led her. Major lawsuit that the family won.
#12
My mom’s boyfriend went to the ER with complains. They scheduled him for an MRI. We had to chase them down the hallway-tv drama style. Not one dr or nurse read in his chart that he had a pacemaker.
Because of this, the trauma surgeon believes that workers who make mistakes shouldn’t always suffer serious consequences.
“A punitive system does not reduce errors, it merely discourages errors from being reported out of fear and therefore has a worse effect on patient and staff safety.
Healthcare workers need to be aware of medical errors so we can learn from them and try to prevent them from happening again. [Those] who make mistakes are usually given the outcomes of the root cause analysis and offered training and education on the issue to prevent it from happening again.”
#13
Patient woke up during his honor walk and asked what was going on
#14
Not a lawsuit but a c section was performed on a pt without anesthesia bc they couldn’t get an iv & the attending was scissor happy/anxious…I had to help hold her legs down. I quit shortly after
#15
I worked in Florida and the absolute worst a pts lung biopsy tested + for Cancer. The surgeon removed the Wrong lung 🫁 then tried to cover it up. We were on CNN.
“The majority of errors are actual mistakes and not actions done with malicious intent,” she adds.
“So think of a wrong medication being given because two drug names are similar, not a Dr. Death-type situation. Yes, criminal cases of medical harm exist, but thankfully, those aren’t common, and those are not the kind of medical mistakes that I’m talking about now. In the TikTok I made, I did not specify either way and was welcoming stories of all kinds, ranging from honest mistakes to criminal and malicious cases.”
#16
When my moms cousin and his wife’s newborn twins were getting discharged, the nurse accidentally cut off the baby’s pinky instead of the hospital bracelet 😅
#17
I told the anesthesiologist that I was allergic to propofol- she told me that it was unlikely and gave it to me anyways once I went under… I then had an hour long seizure
#18
Told doctor I was considered with drop in fetal heart rate of my baby after a car accident. Doctor and RT laughed and said he was playing with the umbilical cord. Lost my son 3 days later at 27 weeks.
After hearing such stories, some people may become apprehensive about trusting healthcare workers. We asked the trauma surgeon for her thoughts on this.
“First, I’d separate healthcare workers and healthcare institutions. The overwhelming majority of healthcare workers care very deeply about patients and are absolutely horrified about medical mistakes.
Second, healthcare institutions are businesses. While they have a mission to provide excellent patient care, the ability to do so requires more than just the workers.
In addition, the ability to run a good business and provide good patient care is highly variable among different facilities. Some institutions and systems function in ways that can lead to maximizing profits being a higher priority than patient care. I think it’s a well-known fact that the US healthcare system as a whole is broken and far from ideal,” she explains.
#19
After birth, they left my placenta inside me. I didn’t know until almost a week later when I asked the nurse why I was still bleeding out. I got rushed for an emergency d&c 🫠
#20
My mom had the most insane headache ever & was displaying other symptoms w/ intense back pain. They thought she only wanted narcotics & sent her away. Turned out to be meningitis and she has a CS leak
#21
I went in to have a brain tumor removed. Surgeon told me 3 days later that he looked at my post-op scans and the tumor is still there. He removed healthy brain tissue next to the tumor. 🤷♀️
In general, she believes such stories shouldn’t make people trust medical institutions less.
“While stories of these medical mistakes shouldn’t make people trust institutions less, I’m not surprised if they do. Just remember, healthcare workers dedicate years of our lives training for our jobs, we have difficult and long shifts, and we continue to do it because we care deeply for all of our patients, and we genuinely want to help people.”
#22
My grandfather was turned away from an ER because he couldn’t speak and the person in charge thought he was being racist by not speaking. Turns out it was a brain aneurysm.
#23
My sisters OB recorded her blood type incorrectly so she never received her RH shot like she should have, she had to deliver a stillborn. They told her it happened because she was unmarried…
#24
Student nurse gave crushed up PO meds and tap water via central line instead of in the NGT. Her preceptor had stepped away to take a phone call and explicitly told her not to do anything. Patient died
Even though the scope of medical mistakes seems very significant, there’s less than a 0.1% chance that a person will suffer serious harm from misdiagnosis after a health care visit. Therefore, experts advise not to lose faith in the healthcare system, as no one is more knowledgeable than doctors in hospitals to help us with various health concerns.
#25
Our transplant status was revoked because there was a doctor picking and choosing who got organs by falsifying records to make certain people seem like worse candidates.
#26
Our neonatologist refused to do our sons lifesaving surgery and said we should just let him pass away at 3 days old. The surgery worked btw.
#27
I’m allergic to propofol. It’s in my chart. Dr. at Mayo Clinic gave it to me anyways and lied saying I agreed to it although the nurses said I didn’t. I needed 3 epis &was in icu bc of this.
#28
They told my dad he just had sciatica, my dad had a tumor the size of a grapefruit growing on his femur and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
#29
Postpartum nurse came to nicu to medicate mom who was doing skin to skin with infant. Pushed iv meds into wrong line and gave it to the baby instead 🙃
#30
Nurse at a major pediatric hospital ran a tube feed into a NICU patient’s ET tube. Punishment was her having to talk about the mistake in an educational video about sentinel events and it was made into an EDUCATION MODULE that all nurses at that hospital had to complete.
#31
We “lost” a body. Family was devastated, 2+ weeks.. whole time wanna know where it was?? In the hallways next to the MORGUE… HOW DID EVERYONE MISS IT? Cost the hospital MILLIONS in lawsuit..
#32
Trauma center sent home a deceased pt’s severed arm in a personal belongings bag with family, unbeknownst to the family till they got home 😫
#33
I had routine gallbladder removal surgery, I bled out at home, went into septic shock, hemoglobin was a 5, and went into kidney failure. The surgeon forgot to clip my vessels lol.
#34
Nurse tried to send me home on concussion protocol, refusing a CT, after I got one it was discovered I had 3 brain bleeds and was rushed to ICU
#35
My old anatomy professor at my community college was a former surgeon that had left instruments in his patients… multiple times…
#36
They said my records showed I was HIV+ after I went in concerned I was in prelabor. I was hysterical, 8 months pregnant, confused looking at my hubby and him looking at me! It was an error.
#37
Told us my sister was faking being sick bc she was fat(they literally used the word, she was 11) turns out it was actually cancer that went undiagnosed for another 2 years until it [ended] her
#38
This one nurse was checking a man’s blood pressure consistently throughout the day. the guy was dead. she didn’t report it. she made up the blood pressures.
#39
My grandma went in for a normal colonoscopy. Died on the table twice because they punctured her small intestines. They were able to get her stable and she’s ok now thank God.
#40
Doctor attempted a risky procedure to deliver baby. Ended up internally decapitating said baby and another one a month later. The risky move wasn’t even needed he just wanted to try it. Still licensed
#41
Travel nurse didn’t check a patient in the bear hugger for the full 12 hour shift. They were 106 when day shift came on and did bedside report.
#42
New grad hooked up tube feed to a dialysis permcath. Patient died 😬 Still can’t figure out how she got them connected.
#43
When my father had a heart attack the EMTs took him to a hospital 35 mins away vs the newly renovated one 3 blocks away 😁 he died
#44
My mom had surgery in her neck. They accidentally left gauze in her neck. They had to cut her open again to take it out. She won that lawsuit quick & gave me $20,000
#45
Routine colonoscopy, not given enough anesthesia, so much pain caused muscles to tighten up, scope scraped my instine, massive gi bleed. Need transfusions and spent 4 days in the hospital
#46
Pt complaining of heart burn for weeks. Was only 30. ER refused an EKG or anything because “he’s too young for heart problems.” Discharged him. He died that night in his bathroom.
#47
Gave patient the wrong blood and they died
#48
Doctor did c section on patient who wasn’t even pregnant
#49
Guy comes in unresponsive. Hospital calls family saying he’s basically brain dead. Family says pull the plug. Turns out they mixed him up w/ his roommate.
#50
fetal demise. decapitation from delivery. provider didn’t tell the family. the funeral home called the parents in doing funeral prep and said “uhhh did you know?” immediate law suit.
#51
mine isn’t dramatic but traumatic. had a hysterectomy at 26, the surgeon cut thru my intestines by mistake. ive had 17 surgeries since due to that.
#52
My papa died from his cancer bc the hospital insisted his insurance was denying the care but when he talked to the company they said it was covered. they were submitting a different patients info
#53
My trans cousin had a hysterectomy. He went to the ER the next day with pain. They completely brushed him off. Said he asked for surgery and surgery is painful. He died the next day (internal bleed)
#54
Tried calling my nurse while in labor. she told me she didn’t think it was important. I delivered my baby by myself. but my baby fell head first on the floor. the Doc came in and she was Livid!!!
#55
not my hospital, but just a few hours away. anesthesiologist forgot to administer a medication. woman was fully conscious during surgery but paralyzed. woke up with blood curdling screams.
#56
Nurse gave whole vial of insulin, patient ended up in ICU
#57
My grandma was having a triple bypass and they gave her the wrong blood. She lived. Craziest part is she was an ER nurse at this hospital.
#58
I had sepsis, went to the ER, was there for 3 hours and they sent me home because they thought it wasn’t serious, had to go straight back 7 hours later because it got way worse and I could have died.
#59
A nurse gave cough syrup through the IV
#60
My cousin’s dentist said she was good to drive herself home after having her wisdom teeth taken out even tho she’d been sedated and was out of it… she ended up crashing and dying that day
#61
Federal inmate escaped from my hospital… because a CO was sleeping while the other took a potty break 😅
#62
Did 13 surgeries on my son before finding out they misdiagnosed him.
#63
Our ed had to call the fire department because there was not enough employees to cover the emergency room, so they called them in for help.
#64
A family at our hospital identified a John Doe wrong and gave away his organs. It was not their son.
#65
Not the one I worked at but the one I was born at had an anesthesiologist that killed mom/baby while giving epidural. He was drunk. Punctured an artery and anesthesia flooded in.
#66
This happened here in South Africa. A patient came in for heart burn and the nurse gave him Gaviscon(which your meant to drink) via his IV line. He died
#67
Patient was in SVT. They defibrillated instead of doing a synchronized cardioversion. Patient went into v fib and died.
#68
A surgeon removed a patients liver instead of his spleen after convincing him he would d*e if he didn’t have the surgery asap
#69
Nurse thought they were giving iv Tylenol which goes over 15 mins, they connected a bag of Levo that was bedside and ran the entire bag of Levo over the 15 mins, pt coded and got ROSC, pt brain dead
#70
I went in for a colonoscopy and was experiencing extreme delusions and psychosis when I came to. Found out later that the anesthesiologist was mixing stuff he shouldn’t have been mixing.
#71
My aunt got sick in covid time, the er docs were intubating her and broke one of her teeth, dragged it all the way down to the lungs and left it there… she almost died from all the complications…
#72
My mom is a nurse. Took care of son of Sam. Anyway…. Back in the day her nurse colleague was arrested for pulling up and injecting toilet water into her patients.
#73
Friend of a friends mother got admitted for a UTI. The hospital malpractice caused amputation of both arms and legs. They won the lawsuit and got millions. Mother unfortunately died not long after.
#74
My uncle’s wife was scratched by a racoon. She was on antibiotics in the hospital. They stopped the medication prematurely. Infection came back. Bad and fast. Died a few days later. He won the lawsuit
#75
A woman came in for a cholecystectomy. She went under and was confused for another woman getting her right leg amputated. They took her healthy leg 😫
#76
Surgeon at my hospital was doing endoscopic suturing, when he tried pulling the scope out there was lots of resistance… turns put he sutured the scope to the patient’s stomach 🙂
#77
My brother was stillborn and it was the doctor’s fault, and while my mom was on painkillers they made her sign an indemnity clause so they couldn’t get sued, and then they told her.
#78
my grandma was discharged w an UTI, it was heart failure, went to another hospital days later, they said her scans were showing the beginning of a stroke but “nothing to worry”, was discharged & d!ed
#79
My son was born at 26 weeks and developed hydrocephalus, the neurosurgeon that placed his shunt didn’t give him enough tubing. After 2 surgeries from “his shunt pieces failing” (where they could have seen he didn’t have enough tubing in his stomach)… we were in Texas, he had grown enough to where the tubing was hitting his sternum and we had to be life flighted to Cooks Children in Dallas where they had to do emergency surgery to completely replace the shunt and tubing.
#80
Pt died in the waiting room and wasn’t noticed…for hours
#81
Not me but a close friend who worked at a hospital. the janitor hated the beeping sound that a freezer made so he unplugged it. It was 20 years worth and thousands of frozen eggs & embryos.
#82
Called and said I had diabetes whole time it was a 76 year old man’s results and not mine
#83
Never sued but my husband went to urgent care for a cold. They sent him home with antibiotics and nothing else. It was the beginning stages of leukemia.
#84
My nurse was gonna push potassium so I could go home early. I stopped her
#85
Told my mom she had a blood clot on her spine. A year later they said It was a tumor & it had spread to her brain & lungs. She died 8 months after that.
#86
Worked at an ophthalmology office and the Dr injected a steroid straight into this mans eye when usually it went onto the “surface” and he basically went blind and needed emergency surgery the same day
#87
I had a cesarean and they damaged all the nerves in my stomach and I’m still struggling with pain and health issues since then.
#88
Don’t work at a hospital but my dad is a lawyer. He sued a hospital because there was a doctor purposely injecting carbon dioxide or something into his patients’ bloodstreams and killing them 👀
#89
They gave my dying grandma a rotten liver
#90
A paralysed patient uses a heat pack on her back. She ended up getting burnt without realising, developed sepsis and passed 🥺
#91
A resident surgeon made the sutures surrounding a new ostomy way too tight, the ostomy went necrotic and started to spread to the remainder of her bowels. She went back into surgery but idk what happened
#92
Nurse gave Vecuronium instead of versed for mild sedation before a CT scan…yup…
#93
I win. Had a pt come in for labor with twins, c section. Surgeon cut too deep she lost both her babies.. they didn’t clean her out after well enough and she was sent home with necrotizing fasciitis.
#94
My mom kicked in the head by a horse at age 11. Doctors sent her from ER saying it was just soft tissue trauma. She was vomiting blood all night. Prnts took her back in AM… deadly subdural hematoma
#95
Had a OB doctor come in drunk all the time wasn’t a big deal they said till he was on call when the CEO’s wife was the patient
#96
A guys girlfriend dressed up as a nurse to stay at the hospital and was convinced she could save him…he coded….she did “cpr” he died. She tried to sue the hospital.
#97
I was with a patient with my dad and told the patient who had broken legs, who healed, “don’t break a leg!”, as a joke
#98
I think I’ll win this. someone wrapped a stillborn in sheets and EVS came to clean the morgue and found a ball of sheets in one of the bays and thought it was dirty laundry so they threw it away