Grey’s Anatomy
Summary
Over the trend of its nearly two - decade run , Grey ’s Anatomyhas offered up its fair share of medical scenes that are altogether inaccurate . Even though ABC ’s long - running aesculapian play aims to raise cognizance of actual - world issues , from institutionalized racism to the barriers perplex gender - affirming care , it sometimes favors heightening the stakes over all else . Understandably , God Almighty Shonda Rhimes and her team prioritise making cracking , dramatic TV over medical accuracy - a tactic that ’s lead toall 19 seasons ofGrey ’s Anatomybeing unbelievably memorable .
Of naturally , that does n’t meanGrey ’s Anatomyviewers are n’t questioning the series ' choices . The show may consult with aesculapian experts , but that does n’t mean theGrey’steam follow substantial - life policies and procedures when they craft each episode ’s medical mystery . In putting the direction on amusement note value , the series has seen its purportedly competent Dr. earn egregious errors , and so many of thoseGrey ’s Anatomyscenes live snag - freein fans ' heads . At times , these aesculapian inaccuracies are so blatant that it ’s grounds for aesculapian ( dramatic play ) malpractice .
11Grey’s Anatomy Doctors Wrongly Wear Jewelry During Surgery
When it come to standard operating - room communications protocol , the doctors onGrey ’s Anatomyseem careful and competent to the average viewer . audience see the attendance scrub in and don surgical nightie , baseball mitt , caps , and mask . It all comes across as workaday - enough so that Grey Sloan Memorial feel like a liquid operation ( at least in some respect ) . However , Grey ’s Anatomyfails when it come to the minutia .
For starter motor , surgeons are forever wear jewellery in the OR . The series decease out of its way of life to show doctor removing their wedding ring , but that ’s about it . This might seem like an undistinguished goof , but , when it comes to have a affected role heart-to-heart on a table , one can never be too careful . Given that Dr. Levi Schmitt ( Jake Borelli ) drops his glasses into a mid - op affected role , it ’s surprising a rogue earring has n’t found its elbow room into an clear dental caries .
10Grey’s Anatomy’s Doctors Gave An MRI To A Patient With A Fork In Their Neck
One of the most notoriousGrey ’s Anatomymistakes fan refused to miss was that sentence Dr. Derek Shepherd ( Patrick Dempsey ) ordered an MRI on a affected role with a ramification sticking out of her neck . The key military issue , of trend , is that Shepherd does n’t tell anyone to remove the fork before putting the patient in the machine , which is a vast trip .
As even laypeople know , patient must dispatch all metal before entering an MRI machine ( viaShields Health ) . basically , the simple machine is a giant attractor , which signify it would forcibly pull the fork from the patient ’s neck , causing untold wrong . It ’s not brain surgery — and yet Derek fails to grasp this essential protocol . For this reason , season 2 ’s episode 20 persist an enduring object lesson of whatGrey ’s Anatomygets wrong about practicing medicine .
9Grey’s Doctors Use Medical Equipment Incorrectly
WhileGrey ’s Anatomy ’s cast might ’ve been consecrate viewers mask - wearing tips during the tallness of the COVID-19 pandemic , the actors do n’t always use the shaft of the craft correctly . In speaking withPureWow , existent - life Dr. Kailey Remien had some specific beef , especially when it came to stethoscope utilization . " The pinna tips should angle into the ear canal , " Dr. Remien explains . " The actors be given to put theirs on so that the ear backsheesh angle back onto their out ear . " Not only is the approach inaccurate , but it would also obturate the doctors ' chances of hearing anything at all .
8Grey’s Trauma Patients Are 3 Times More Likely To Die Than In Real Life
As a aesculapian dramatic play with 19 seasons ' Charles Frederick Worth of stories ( and plenty oftheories aboutGrey ’s Anatomyseason 20 ’s story ) , the show often give for medical obscurity to keep thing sassy . " We ’re the one percent hospital , " executive manufacturer Zoanne Clack tellsEntertainment Weekly . " We have a file of strange , mysterious , fun , and interesting case to draw in from . " Of course , with Grey Sloan Memorial seeing so many medical anomalies , saving lives becomes much more of a challenge .
harmonize to a survey performed by Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open , Grey’spatients are three times more probable to die than real - lifetime psychic trauma patients ( viaThe Conversation ) . A banging 71 % of the show ’s patients are transfer from the ER to the OR with haste — a percentage that altogether dwarf that of literal life . Moreover , if aGrey ’s Anatomytrauma patient is golden enough to survive surgery , betting odds are they ’ll recover incredibly quickly , as oppose to real - life-time patients .
7Real Surgeons Don’t Deliver Bad News In Public Waiting Rooms
Thankfully , real - life surgeon , Dr. , and nurses do n’t fork out bad news to patient role ' loved ones in public space . Grey ’s Anatomyis far from being the only medical dramatic event to set heartbreaking moments in the hospital ’s waiting way , but it ’s still a rather troubling notion . Clearly , being in a bustling wait room - replete with other characters who are able to see what ’s materialize - lends itself to storytelling much better than closed - off , private room .
6Emergency Medicine Doctors Are Non-Existent In Grey’s Anatomy
At non - television infirmary , emergency medical specialty Doctor act as a crucial role in give care for patients . In fact , emergency medicine is a consecrate specialty . In a harm department , an EM would take out the immediate assessment and treatment of a patient role . However , in the world of Meredith Grey ( Ellen Pompeo ) and co. , surgeons with other specialties bivalent as parking brake medicinal drug doctors . To up the dramatic stakes , the attendings will even meet the hurt patient in the ambulance bay . Givenwhat we bang , Grey ’s Anatomyseason 20will continue this perturbing bodily structure .
5Grey’s Anatomy’s Post-Op Transplant Patients Don’t Worry About Infection
The number of surgery the Grey Sloan Memorial team execute is more astounding than the intricate web that isMeredith Grey ’s career timeline . Not to mention , many of them require experimental treatment or surgical method . Given all the cutting - border , high - interest spot , it seems legitimate that the doctor would take extra caution to ensure their immunocompromised , post - op patients are n’t put at greater risk of infection for infection . However , that ’s just not how television works . After graft patient are rolled out of the OR , family members hug them - sans PPE . Even doctors eschew right aesculapian - score protection once someone ’s back in a convalescence way .
4Nurses Are Ignored In Grey’s Anatomy (& Doctors' Roles Are Overinflated)
There have been fairly few non - doctor characters to make a big impact inGrey ’s Anatomy . For the most part , everything centers on the hospital ’s surgeons and incoming surgical residents and interne . After all , that ’s the premiss of the serial . However , the soon - to - be 20 - season show does a real disservice to nurse , who are of critical importance when it comes to existent - life sentence patient care . And , given the amount oftimes theGrey ’s Anatomycharacters should ’ve gone to gaol , they could probably use some watchful nurses on the story .
While Dr. are tasked with observing patient , imprint diagnosing , and creating handling plan , it ’s nurses who cumulate patient information and put a doctor ’s orders into drill ( viaNortheastern University | School of Nursing ) . InGrey ’s Anatomy , surgeons - and doctor at large - hold patient ' hands through their infirmary stay ( sometimes literally ) , which just is n’t practicable in the tangible world . Patients see their surgeons much less frequently and pass on on a more regular foundation with their nursemaid .
3Derek Doesn’t Properly Administer CPR
An allegedly renowned brain surgeon , the former Derek Shepherd does n’t seem peculiarly well - versed in some of the basics of medical attention . In one of the manyGrey ’s Anatomyepisodes where Meredith almost die , the titular doctor nearly drowns in Elliot Bay . To resuscitate Meredith , Derek administers non - stop CPR , but does n’t do so by rights . Instead of following the proper 30 chest concretion for every two rescue breath metric , the operating surgeon administer five chest compression and then a rescue breath . In his panic , Derek clearly forgets the basics of how to keep a biography .
2Izzie Commits Malpractice (& Isn’t Fired)
Despite only lasting 6 seasons on the serial , Izzie Stevens ( Katherine Heigl ) commits her bonny share of aesculapian malpractice . The most egregious might even top all of the manyworst decisions Meredith has made onGrey ’s Anatomy . In season 2 , Izzie meet Denny Duquette ( Jeffrey Dean Morgan ) , a patient with congestive center nonstarter . Over time , the two drop in love , but the Latinian language is n’t just ill - advised — it ’s ill - doomed . so as to move Denny up on the transplantation list , Izzie cuts his LVAD wire , which means the gimmick is no longer capable of pump his blood .
This complication not only make Denny sicker , but bumps him to the top of the transplant list base on the hardness of his condition and the urgency of his billet . Even though Izzie steals a heart and break her " do no damage " oath , she is n’t fired from the hospital . To make matter worse , Denny give way from a fortuity after the successful heart transplant . afterwards on , a near - demise ( and understandably still guilty)Izzie sees Denny when she hallucinates , but it ’s somewhat clear that her actions should ’ve ended her medical career altogether .
