Medication Errors
Nursing home residents, and their families, often rely on caretakers of a nursing home to help a resident at the homethem with their medications because it can be hard to remember the doses, when to take the pills, and what the medication is even for. According to MD Magazine the average nursing home resident in the United States is taking seven medications. If nursing home staff are inattentive and fail to follow regulatory procedures, medications can be improperly administered, causing serious health problems and even death. If you or a loved one have suffered the consequences of a medication error while at a nursing home, contact the compassionate and experienced lawyers at Pfeifer Law Firm.
Common Medication Errors
There are several ways medications can be incorrectly administered. Nursing homes are supposed to keep records of each patient’s medications and communicate between changing staff. There are regulations that require nursing facilities to have pharmacists on staff as well. Unfortunately, nursing homes may not have the appropriate number of staff, because staff turnover at most nursing homes is usually very high, and they will fail to follow protocols. Common errors that occur with patients’ medications as a result of negligenceect are:
- Overdose
- Dose omission
- Underdose
- Wrong patient
- Wrong medication
- Wrong strength
- Incorrect timing
- Inappropriate method of administering (i.e. crushing pill vs. taking it whole)
If you believe your loved one is receiving improper doses of their medication, or not getting their medication at all, it is time to check with the nursing home staff. If the medications are not being appropriately given, contact an Arkansas nursing home abuse lawyer.
Consequences of Medication Errors
Elderly patients tend to have less lean mass and total body water while having an increased body fat percentage. These effects make elderly patients more sensitive to medication doses. When medication errors occur some common adverse side effects include:
- Delirium
- Falls
- Depression
- Incontinence or constipation
- Excessive bleeding
In addition to simply experiencing side effects from one medication error, a patient who takes multiple medications may suffer adverse effects from the interaction of incorrectly administered prescription drugs to other drugs they take. A report done by the Department of Health and Human Services estimated that 17 percent of all hospitalizations of elderly are due to adverse medical reactions. This is six times the statistics for the general public. If your loved one is in the hospital due to medication errors made at a nursing home, it is an appropriate time to speak with a knowledgeable nursing home abuse lawyer. We can help you receive compensation for the pain and suffering the nursing home caused your loved one to suffer.
Contact an Arkansas Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Today
Medications are designed to maintain or improve a patient’s quality of life and functioning. When the nursing home staff doesn’t take the proper steps to document the administration of medication proper care of their patients it can result in medication errors. If you have reason to believe your loved one is suffering because their medication is being improperly administered, then you should seek advice from the attorneys at Pfeifer Law Firm. Our experienced legal team knows what is required to investigate and represent a client in a nursing home abuse claim. Contact our officeour Little Rock offices today for a free consultation.
