Skip to main content

How a Medication Error Could Spin Your Life Upside Down

 

https://www.medlegal360.com/how-a-medication-error-could-spin-your-life/

Prescribing the wrong medication is not a simple mistake but can steal lives sometimes. When the medication prescribed goes wrong, it can be considered medical malpractice, causing long-term harm to a patient. Never believe that only a doctor can make a medication error. It can happen to the person who transcribes the doctor's prescription, the person who dispenses the medication, or the person who administers it.

A physician may be perplexed if they confuse one medication for another due to similarity in names. A mistake can also be made by a transcriptionist or a nurse who misunderstands the physician's shorthand. Again, the pharmacist or person who dispenses the medicine may administer the incorrect medication due to illegible handwriting. The nurses who administer the medication may use the incorrect method of administration, further complicating the situation. If medicine is administered without first assessing a patient's condition and is not monitored, it can have negative consequences. Medicines in similar-looking containers can be perplexing to both the pharmacist and the people who use them.

FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Any type of medication error can be voluntarily reported to the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). The most common errors reported are administering the incorrect medication or dose and administering a medication that may interact with the patient's other medications. Prescribing unauthorized drugs, failing to warn the patient about side effects, and prescribing a drug or pill to which the patient is allergic are all serious errors.

Medication errors can have a wide range of consequences, ranging from minor discomfort to serious health problems. It is possible to experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, aggravated pre-existing symptoms, disabilities, congenital disabilities, coma, or death.

Medical malpractice lawsuit and medication error

Aside from a physician, nurse, and pharmacist, a pharmaceutical company can also be held liable for mislabeling, manufacturing, or packaging errors that cause people to be misled. Whoever makes a mistake may cause a patient to be permanently disabled. Every citizen is entitled to adequate and high-quality medical care. When something negatively impacts their quality of life, they have the right to sue the person who caused the harm.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) laid down guidelines for manufacturing and distributing medications in the United States. The acts used by the federal government to regulate medication errors were Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005, and the National Medical Error Disclosure and Compensation Act of 2005.

How to prevent medication errors

Medication error is also a kind of medical error. On the one hand, the patient should be aware of the type of medication he is taking. He should notify the doctor if he has any allergies. The doctor must inform the patient about the medication's potential side effects. If you experience any discomfort after taking the medication, please notify your doctor.

Conclusion

Everyone, from the patient to the nurse, should take precautions to prevent medication errors. MedWatch and all health professionals should be on the lookout for medication errors. In the event of a medication error, contact a medical malpractice attorney to seek compensation. Having  your medical documentation as an evidence, you can make your claim valid.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hospital-acquired infections and legal claims

  https://www.medlegal360.com/hospital-acquired-infection/ When hospitals become the breeding grounds for infections, there arise medical malpractice lawsuits. Mainly patients in hospital wards and intensive care units (ICUs) may contract Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIS ). If uncared, hospital-acquired infections can lead to loss of life. Along with that, it will add lengthy hospital stays, emotional distress , additional hospital expenses, medical malpractice lawsuits , and a financial burden on the medical care facilities and the government. A Hospital-Acquired Infection or Healthcare-Associated Infection happens when an individual contracts an infection within 48 to 72 hours of being hospitalized, according to the NCBI. Around 1.7 million people are infected with HAIs and approximately 99,000 people lose their lives to them in the U.S every year. These nosocomial infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The most dangerous hospital-acquired infections ar...

How to Claim for a Defective Hernia Mesh?

  https://www.medlegal360.com/defective-hernia-mesh-lawsuit/ A hernia is a soft protrusion in the belly or groin that disappears when squeezed or lying down but causes pain while coughing, lifting heavy objects, or bending down. If left untreated, inguinal hernias can expand and cause death. Humans can develop Indirect Inguinal Hernia, Direct Inguinal Hernia, Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia, and Strangulated Inguinal Hernia. Hernias are caused by weakening muscles in the abdomen and groin areas, which might be hereditary or caused by repeated physical straining. Exhaustion can be caused by obesity, pregnancy, frequent coughing, or constipation. Inguinal hernias can enlarge and potentially cause death if left untreated. Watchful waiting, muscle strengthening exercises, and surgical repair are all options for hernia care. In hernia surgery, a flat sheet of prosthetic material called a hernia mesh is employed. The first synthetic material used in hernia mesh was nylon. Nylon deter...

Is your spinal disc herniation caused by your accident? What to do next?

  https://www.medlegal360.com/spinal-disc-herniation-caused-by-the-accident/ Prolonged back pain can be a matter of concern. Mild sprains or severe disc herniations can cause back pain. Because disc herniations are complicated, seeking medical attention as soon as possible can save you from unnecessary suffering and medical expenses. When the disc nucleus protrudes through the annular tear and bulge, it can result in disc herniation or a slipped disc. Depending on the location of the herniation, this disc bulge can compress the nerve roots exiting the spinal cord and vertebral column, causing radicular pain in the upper or lower extremities. Factors that ensue spinal disc herniation A variety of factors causes disc herniations. They can be linked to age, work, the type of impact experienced, a long driving time, unhealthy lifestyle, and obesity. When a person ages, the wear, and tear on their vertebral column is also affected. Degenerative disc diseases can cause vertebrae ...