Medication errors can have their origin in human error committed by a doctor, a pharmacist or a nurse. Sometimes a doctor prescribes the wrong amount of a medication. Sometimes pharmacists fill prescriptions wrong. Sometimes nurses who administer medications make mistakes. Anesthesiologists may also be responsible for medication errors in surgical settings.
However your medication error occurred, a fundamental question is how much you suffered as a result. If you are able to demonstrate that you were seriously injured, or that your loved one died as a result of a fatal overdose, an injury or wrongful death claim or lawsuit may bring needed financial relief.
Health care professionals have a high duty of care to the patient whose well being they watch out for. Safety measures designed to protect patients from harm should be followed meticulously in settings including:
- Dispensing of Medications in Doctors’ Clinics
- Outpatient Prescriptions
- Administration of prescription drugs in hospitals (including emergency rooms), nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and assisted living facilities
- In facilities such as hospitals, medication errors tend to occur in connection with shift changes. When a new nurse or nurse’s assistant comes on duty, hospital staff should follow protocols designed to protect clients. If this does not happen as it should, and a patient is harmed, that is the time to discuss a malpractice claim with a knowledgeable attorney.