Philadelphia Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers Discuss Medication Errors in Nursing Homes

If you have a loved one who is being care for in a nursing home, it is likely that they are on a number of medications. Healthcare providers are entrusted to administer the correct medication, as well as the right dosage. Unfortunately, sometimes errors occur. When this happens, it is important that you know what your legal options are and who should be held liable.

When a health care provider does not provide the appropriate level of care to a patient, including a failure to take full advantage of the latest resources available that may help the patient, it is considered medical negligence by the courts. Medications errors, whether in prescribing or administering drugs, can happen in a number of ways, including the following:

• A physician prescribes the wrong medication or an incorrect dosage amount
• A physician or pharmacist does not ask about any allergies a patient may have to a specific medication
• The pharmacist or the person responsible for administering the medication gives the wrong medication to the patient
• A nurse administers the wrong medication or the wrong dosage amount
• A nurse administers the medication incorrectly
• A medication may have an adverse reaction to a drug the patient is already taking
• A medication interacts negatively to something a patient consumes
• A medication is mislabeled by the pharmacy

Medication errors are not as common as they used to be in large part due to computers and electronic tracking programs. Physicians send prescriptions to pharmacists electronically now, avoiding some of the mistakes made by misreading handwritten prescriptions. But a physician can still negligently type in the wrong medication or dosage amount.

Human error also factors in if a nurse or physician reads the dosage amount incorrectly, administers the wrong drug or gives the medication in the wrong place. For example, certain medications are to be injected via a shot into muscles and some into the bloodstream. Incorrectly administering a drug can be considered negligent.

What Are the Consequences of Medication Errors?

Depending on the drug and the dosage amount that was administered incorrectly, the consequences to the patient can range from fairly minimal to fatal. Contact your physician immediately to ensure that the mistake has been corrected and the health of your loved is restored. It is also in your best interest to seek legal counsel who can determine the negligent party.

Philadelphia Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers at Galfand Berger Protect Victims of Medication Errors

If you or someone you love has been the victim of a medication error, contact Philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyers at Galfand Berger. We will fight hard to protect your rights and determine who should be held accountable for their negligence. Our offices are conveniently located in Philadelphia, Reading, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Call us today at 1-800-222-USWA (8792) or contact us online for a free consultation