Hospitals administer thousands of medication doses each day, with multiple types of medical providers participating in the process. They do this while treating patients with serious and changing medical needs. Contact our medication error attorney in Las Cruces for legal assistance.
Where Can a Hospital Medication Error Occur?
Medication involves several distinct stages. An error at any step can lead to patient harm.
- Prescribing errors happen when a healthcare provider orders the wrong medication or dosage. They can also occur if the provider overlooks a patient’s allergy, drug interaction, or medical condition.
- Transcription errors occur when a prescription is entered incorrectly into medical records or hospital systems.
- Dispensing errors happen when the pharmacy prepares the wrong drug, concentration, or dose.
- Administration errors occur when staff deliver medication to the wrong patient or use an incorrect dose.
- Monitoring errors take place after administration if staff fail to respond to signs of an adverse reaction.
To prevent mistakes, hospitals use several safeguards. However, an error can still occur at any point during treatment.
What Causes Hospital Medication Errors?
Hospital medication mistakes are rarely attributable to a lone cause. Several problems may trigger an error.
Common contributing factors include:
- Understaffing
- Poor communication when shifts change
- Incomplete medical records
- Medicines with similar names or packaging
- Mixing up patient IDs
- Forgetting to record a dose that was given
- Miscalculating drug amounts
- Forgetting to scan barcodes
- Lack of proper training or supervision
- Skipping a second check on high-risk drugs
Most medication errors are preventable by adhering to accepted medical standards during the prescription and administration process.
High Alert Medications
Certain medications can cause severe injury when given incorrectly. These drugs are often called high-alert medications because even a small dosage or timing mistake may have serious consequences.
Examples include:
- Insulin
- Blood thinners
- Opioids
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Concentrated electrolytes
- Sedatives
- Medications delivered into the spinal canal
- Drugs used during anesthesia
These medications often require careful calculations and patient monitoring. Such medications often require careful calculations and patient monitoring.
What to Do If You Suspect a Hospital Error
If you suspect a medication mistake during a hospital stay, tell the medical staff right away. Ask them which drug was given, the exact dosage, when it was administered, and why it was prescribed.
You can also request a copy of your medication administration record. This document logs every drug and dose you received. Other helpful records include doctor orders, pharmacy logs, nursing notes, lab results, and automated safety alerts.
After your discharge, keep a complete copy of your medical records along with any instructions or medication lists the hospital provided. In addition, keep track of your symptoms, follow-up care, extra medical expenses, and any work days you missed.
Can You File a Malpractice Claim for a Hospital Medication Error?
An adverse reaction to medicine doesn’t meant you’ve experienced a medication error, nor does it not automatically establish malpractice. Some patients experience complications even when healthcare providers follow proper medical standards.
However, a patient may have a malpractice claim when a hospital or provider fails to adhere to the applicable standard of care and that failure causes an injury. If you or a loved one was harmed by a medication error during a hospital stay, Coates & Johnson can help you pursue compensation from the responsible parties. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about whether you have a claim.