Decimal Point in Patient Safety, Preventive & Ethics — 34yo Woman | Patient Safety | SMLE Q#1136
SMLE Question #1136
Patient Safety, Preventive & Ethics
Patient Safety
Last updated: February 2026
A 34-year-old woman presents 10 hours after ingesting a large amount of paracetamol in a suicide attempt. The laboratory phones a critical paracetamol concentration to the ward as “two (pause) one, three.” It is entered in the chart with a decimal point, and N-acetylcysteine is withheld based on the documented value. She subsequently develops acute liver failure. Which of the following best explains the primary type of error in this event?
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