Kansas City Nursing Home Medication Error Attorneys

Examples of Medication Errors in Nursing Homes 

Medication errors can occur any time an individual caregiver or nursing home improperly prescribes, dispenses, or administers medication to a resident. 

Some examples of common medication errors in nursing homes include: 

• Failing to properly prepare medications 
• Dispensing or administering the wrong medication
• Providing the wrong dose (overdose or under-dose)
• Incorrectly administering medication (e.g., intravenously instead of orally, etc.)
• Failing to review the side effects or possible drug interactions of a medication 
• Administering a new medication to a resident without informing the resident’s family

Nursing home staff could dispense the wrong dose to a resident by cutting pills that are not meant to be cut or by failing to properly read prescriptions. Nursing home doctors and nurses may prescribe the wrong medication or advise the incorrect dose. In some cases, caregivers may administer medications that are meant for another resident. All of these constitute medication mistakes—and all can have serious or even fatal consequences. 

How Do Medication Errors Happen? 

Studies show that the overall rate of medication errors caused by medication mismanagement in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities is increasing. 

There are many possible reasons for this, but some of the most common causes of medication errors in nursing homes include: 

• Inadequate Training: Insufficient training and education of nursing home staff, including nurses and medication aides, can lead to errors in medication administration. Staff members may not fully understand the medications they are administering or may lack proper training on safe administration practices.
• Communication Issues: Poor communication among healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, can lead to medication errors. This includes unclear or incomplete medication orders, failure to communicate changes in medication orders, and misunderstandings among staff regarding medication instructions.
• Miscalculating Medication Doses: This occurs when healthcare providers, including nurses or medication aides, make errors in calculating the correct dosage of a medication. Common factors contributing to miscalculation errors include mathematical mistakes, misinterpretation of the prescription, or confusion about units of measurement. Administering too much or too little of a medication can have serious health consequences for residents.
• High Workload and Staffing Levels: Nursing homes often face understaffing and high workloads, which can result in rushed medication administration. Overworked staff may not have adequate time to carefully review medication orders or administer medications with the required attention to detail.
• Polypharmacy: Many elderly residents in nursing homes are prescribed multiple medications, which increases the risk of medication errors. Managing complex medication regimens can be challenging, leading to confusion and potential errors.
• Similar Medication Names or Packaging: Medications with names that sound alike or packaging that looks similar can lead to mix-ups, where the wrong medication is administered. This is known as "look-alike, sound-alike" medication errors.
• Mislabeling: Errors can occur when medications are not properly labeled, or labels are illegible. This can lead to confusion about the medication's identity, dosage, and administration instructions.
• Lack of Medication Reconciliation: Failure to regularly update and reconcile medication lists can result in discrepancies between what a patient is actually taking and what is documented, increasing the risk of medication errors.
• Inadequate Documentation: Poor documentation practices, such as incomplete or inaccurate record-keeping, can make it difficult to track a patient's medication history, leading to errors in administration.
• Failure to Obtain Informed Consent: Obtaining informed consent is essential in healthcare, especially when introducing new medications or treatments. Failure to do so can lead to ethical and legal issues. In nursing homes, residents or their legal representatives should be adequately informed about the purpose, benefits, risks, and potential side effects of any medication or medical procedure.
• Resident Factors: Residents with cognitive impairments or communication difficulties may be unable to provide accurate information about their medications or any adverse effects, making it challenging for staff to ensure safe medication administration.
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Issues: Technical glitches or usability problems with EHR systems can disrupt the medication administration process, leading to errors.
• General Negligence: General negligence in nursing homes can encompass a wide range of actions or inactions that result in harm or injury to residents. This may include failure to provide adequate care, monitor residents properly, or adhere to established protocols related to medication administration.

In many cases, medication errors are entirely preventable and occur only because one or multiple parties were careless. If you suspect this is what happened in your case, reach out to the Law Office of Tom Wagstaff Jr. right away to learn how we can help.