Medication Errors at Nursing Homes Can Be Deadly
When your elderly loved one is placed in a nursing home because they need daily assistance, they are in an extremely vulnerable position. Under these circumstances, a medication error can potentially be fatal – especially if your elderly loved one depends on the medicine to deal with a particular medical condition or they are otherwise in poor health. That’s when it is absolutely vital that the nurse, or nurses, who are in charge of caring for your loved one are properly trained and prepared to assist residents at the nursing home.
Nursing Negligence and Medication Errors: Deadly Consequences for Nursing Home Patients
One of the most common examples of nursing home negligence in New Jersey, New York and elsewhere is a medication error that causes serious health complications. Regardless of the exact reasons for the medication error, one thing is almost universally true: a nurse who is tasked with administering medication to a nursing home patient is typically the last line of defense for the patient.
Nurses have a job that requires them to provide the right medication, both in type and dosage. Nursing mistakes can be deadly. When a nurse fails to perform their job correctly, the result can be a medication error that leads to serious personal injury or even wrongful death. You may have placed your parent or other loved one in a nursing home precisely because you recognized that they need help with certain daily tasks, such as eating, bathing and taking necessary medication. You are counting on nursing home staff to properly care for and assist your loved one.
The nursing home staff should be aware of the specific needs of your elderly loved one. Moreover, nurses charged with administering medication to your loved one should be familiar with proper techniques for administering the medicine, as well as the exact type of medication and the required dosages.
In the event that your elderly loved one has suffered a health setback while under the care of nursing home staff, it is imperative that you have a qualified nursing home negligence attorney on your side. An experienced lawyer can examine the details of your loved one’s illness or condition, determine exactly what went wrong and hold the responsible individuals accountable for their neglect. Not only will this ensure that your loved one gets the treatment they need going forward, it will also protect other residents in the future by making it more likely that the nursing home takes steps to properly administer medication and otherwise care for patients.
If your elderly loved one has suffered an injury or illness due to a medication error or any other kind of error by nursing home staff, you should speak with a qualified nursing home abuse attorney today. Barry Sugarman is an experienced New Jersey nursing home abuse and negligence lawyer who will make sure that your loved one gets the care they deserve. Contact Mr. Sugarman immediately to schedule a free consultation.
