Hospitals across New Mexico face ongoing staffing challenges that strain healthcare systems and put patients at risk. When there are not enough qualified medical professionals to provide safe care, serious errors can occur. Patients may experience delayed treatment, misdiagnosis, or other preventable harm that could justify a legal claim.
If you suspect you were injured in a hospital where care was inadequate, you may have grounds for a staffing shortages medical malpractice claim. The attorneys at Poulos & Coates, LLP, focus exclusively on medical malpractice cases throughout New Mexico. With a medical doctor and nurse on staff, our team can review your case and determine whether understaffing played a role in your injury.
How Staffing Shortages Impact Patient Care
Hospitals have a duty to provide safe, timely, and effective treatment. When staffing levels fall below safe standards, that duty can be compromised. Common consequences of inadequate staffing include:
- Delayed treatment—when patients wait too long for diagnostic tests, medications, or emergency attention;
- Medication errors—caused by overworked nurses who are fatigued or rushed;
- Failure to monitor—vital signs or test results are missed or ignored;
- Infection risks—result of lapses in sanitation or hygiene procedures; and
- Poor communication—resulting in incomplete handoffs or lost patient information.
The state continues to face one of the most severe nurse vacancy rates in the region. Many hospitals, especially in rural areas, operate with fewer staff than required for safe care. These shortages can directly increase the risk of patient injuries.
When a Staffing Shortage Becomes Negligence
Under New Mexico law, hospitals must uphold a professional standard of care. When a facility fails to provide sufficient staff or supervision, and a patient is harmed as a result, that failure may amount to nurse shortage negligence.
Negligence related to inadequate staffing may involve:
- Assigning too many patients to one nurse or aide,
- Employing unqualified personnel in critical roles,
- Understaffing high-risk departments such as the emergency room or intensive care unit,
- Failing to act on known staffing issues or safety complaints, and
- Reducing staff to save money despite obvious patient care needs.
When these conditions lead to injury, a hospital can be held responsible for nursing shortage medical malpractice. Patients and families may pursue compensation to address the resulting harm.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Understaffing
Liability for hospital understaffing depends on the cause of the unsafe conditions. In most cases, the hospital or healthcare system bears responsibility for operational decisions that created an unsafe environment. Possible liable parties include:
- Hospitals or healthcare networks that failed to maintain safe nurse-to-patient ratios,
- Supervisors or administrators who ignored reports of unsafe workloads,
- Contract staffing agencies that supplied insufficient or unqualified personnel, and
- Individual healthcare providers who neglected their duties.
Hospitals must follow both state regulations and their own internal policies regarding staffing. When management disregards these standards and patients suffer harm, that conduct can lead to hospital understaffing liability in New Mexico.
How to Prove a Staffing Shortage Malpractice Claim
A successful medical malpractice claim requires evidence demonstrating that inadequate staffing caused the patient’s injury. The evidence most often used in these cases includes:
- Staffing logs and schedules—documenting how many nurses, doctors, or aides were on duty;
- Patient records—showing delayed treatment, missed monitoring, or incorrect documentation;
- Internal communications—such as reports or emails discussing chronic understaffing;
- Expert medical testimony—explaining how proper staffing would have prevented the injury; and
- Witness statements—from employees, patients, or family members who observed unsafe conditions.
At Poulos & Coates, every case is reviewed by a lawyer, doctor, and nurse to ensure that both the medical and legal aspects are fully understood. This comprehensive approach allows us to identify where staffing failures occurred and build strong evidence for accountability.
What Damages Can Be Recovered
Injuries caused by hospital negligence can lead to lasting physical, emotional, and financial hardship. A successful staffing shortages medical malpractice claim can help patients and families recover compensation for:
- Medical bills, including emergency care, corrective treatment, and rehabilitation;
- Future medical needs, such as physical therapy or long-term care;
- Lost income from missed work during recovery;
- Reduced earning potential, if long-term disabilities prevent returning to work;
- Pain and suffering to reflect the emotional and physical effects of the injury; and
- Wrongful death damages for families who lost a loved one.
These damages aim to restore stability and provide financial relief. At Poulos & Coates, we partner with medical and economic experts to calculate the full value of a claim, ensuring that clients receive the compensation they deserve.
How Poulos & Coates Investigates Hospital Staffing Negligence
Investigating nursing shortages medical malpractice requires both legal precision and medical insight. Our in-house medical team evaluates each case to determine whether inadequate staffing directly caused harm by:
- Examining hospital staffing records and internal policies,
- Consulting with medical professionals on proper nurse-to-patient ratios,
- Analyzing medical documentation for evidence of delayed or missed care, and
- Preparing and submitting the claim to the New Mexico Medical Review Commission.
If the Commission finds sufficient evidence of negligence, we file a lawsuit to pursue compensation. There are no upfront costs, and clients owe no fees unless we achieve a recovery on their behalf.
The Impact of Hospital Understaffing
Hospital understaffing often results from budget cuts or administrative mismanagement rather than unavoidable shortages. When institutions knowingly reduce staff or ignore safety complaints, they jeopardize patient health. Such actions are not simply operational issues; they may constitute negligence under New Mexico law.
Holding hospitals accountable through hospital understaffing liability in New Mexico claims encourages safer policies and protects future patients from preventable harm.
Contact Poulos & Coates About a Hospital Staffing Negligence Claim
If you believe that inadequate staffing led to your injury or a loved one’s death, you deserve clear answers. Poulos & Coates, LLP is New Mexico’s only law firm dedicated solely to medical malpractice litigation.
With over 100 years of combined experience and over $500 million recovered, our attorneys, doctor, and nurse work together on every case to uncover what went wrong and fight for accountability. From our office in Las Cruces, we serve clients across New Mexico with compassion, precision, and determination. Contact us today at 575-523-4444 to schedule your free consultation.
Greig Coates, M.D., J.D.
Over the last thirty years, Dr. Coates has successfully represented plaintiffs in every conceivable type of medical malpractice lawsuit–from single-physician cases to complex litigation involving over a dozen doctors and several hospitals. Dr. Coates has taken several thousand physician depositions in his career involving every known physician specialty and sub-specialty, and almost as many depositions involving hospital personnel such as nurses, techs, and administrators. He has tried several dozen cases to successful verdicts.
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