Medication Errors by Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities
Nursing homes, rehabilitation and other residential inpatient facilities, which often care for elderly patients, must effectively manage a number of variables when it comes to medication. Older residents are often taking multiple medications and may be functionally impaired. When a resident is cognitively impaired, not only does it lessen their ability to self-advocate and spot errors, but they may also be slower to recognize and report adverse medication reactions resulting in delays in getting medical treatment, which may result in injury or even death.
Many nursing homes and inpatient facilities are understaffed, experience high turnover, and increasingly rely on low-paid nursing assistants to shoulder more of the patient care and monitoring load. This results in an environment ripe for medication errors.
Common medication errors that occur in residential inpatient facilities include:
- Administering the wrong medication
- Administering the incorrect dosage (too much or too little)
- Administering the medication incorrectly or at the wrong time
- Failing to administer the medication
- Failing to monitor the resident after giving the medication or adverse reactions
If you or a loved one are the unfortunate victim of a medication error in a nursing home, rehabilitative facility, or other residential care setting, it is important to understand your options. Let us help. Contact us for a consultation.
