Medication Errors: Preventable Harm
Your loved one trusted the nursing home to manage their medications correctly. Wrong drugs, missed doses, and dangerous interactions are never acceptable. We hold facilities accountable for medication negligence.
Key Takeaways
- Medication errors are preventable: Proper systems and staffing prevent virtually all errors
- Elderly patients are vulnerable: Multiple medications and conditions increase error risk
- Documentation is key: Medication administration records prove what was given vs. ordered
Types of Medication Errors
Medication errors take many forms—all are preventable with proper systems:
Wrong Medication
Patient receives a medication not prescribed to them, often due to similar-sounding drug names or packaging confusion.
Wrong Dose
Too much (overdose) or too little medication given. Especially dangerous with insulin, blood thinners, and opioids.
Missed Doses
Critical medications not given on time or at all. Missed blood pressure, seizure, or diabetes medications can be fatal.
Wrong Patient
Medication intended for one patient given to another. Usually due to skipped verification steps.
Drug Interactions
Dangerous combinations not caught by pharmacy review or nursing staff. Common with psychotropic medications.
Failure to Monitor
Not checking for side effects, lab values (like INR for blood thinners), or symptoms requiring medication adjustment.
Why Medication Errors Happen
Medication errors are almost always systemic failures—not just individual mistakes:
Understaffing
Nurses rushing through medication passes can't properly verify patient identity, check allergies, or monitor for interactions.
Poor Communication
Inadequate shift handoffs, illegible physician orders, and poor documentation lead to errors.
Inadequate Training
Staff unfamiliar with high-risk medications or proper administration techniques make preventable errors.
System Failures
Lack of pharmacist review, no barcode scanning, outdated medication administration records.
Look-Alike/Sound-Alike Drugs
Similar medication names (metformin/metoprolol) or packaging without proper safeguards.
Consequences of Medication Errors
Elderly nursing home patients are especially vulnerable to medication errors:
| Medication Type | Potential Consequences |
|---|---|
| Blood Thinners (Warfarin, Eliquis) | Internal bleeding, stroke, death—especially with wrong doses or missed monitoring |
| Insulin | Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) causing seizures, coma, brain damage, death |
| Opioids | Respiratory depression, overdose, death—especially with other sedatives |
| Cardiac Medications | Heart rhythm disturbances, heart failure, sudden cardiac death |
| Psychotropic Medications | Falls, aspiration pneumonia, cognitive decline—especially if used as chemical restraint |
Proving Medication Error Cases
We build comprehensive evidence packages to prove medication negligence:
Medication Administration Records (MARs)
Compare what was ordered vs. what was documented as given. Gaps and discrepancies prove errors.
Physician Orders
Original prescriptions show what was supposed to be administered, when, and at what dose.
Pharmacy Records
What medications were dispensed to the facility? Were pharmacist warnings about interactions ignored?
Nursing Notes
Document complaints, adverse reactions, and staff response (or lack thereof).
Expert Testimony
Nursing experts and pharmacists testify that proper systems would have prevented the error.
Staffing Analysis
Understaffing during medication passes explains why proper verification steps were skipped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Medication Errors Are Preventable
Your loved one trusted the nursing home to manage their medications safely. When that trust is violated, we hold facilities accountable.
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