Medication Errors Have Fatal Consequences in Michigan Nursing Homes

Karen Rach stood next to her father’s hospital bed, heartbroken, struggling to face the reality of his premature death. During the five short days he spent as a resident at St. Joseph’s Caretel nursing home in Michigan, the nursing staff failed to give Roy Rach his vital diabetes medication. Meanwhile, about 25 miles east, a resident at Clarkston Specialty Healthcare Center went into septic shock after not receiving her prescribed antibiotics. She later died of a severe urinary tract infection. Unfortunately for both residents, these preventable mistakes had fatal consequences. According to recent reports, medication errors in Michigan nursing homes occur far too often, but this phenomenon is not exclusive to Michigan. Nursing homes all across the United States are failing to meet the requirements to provide proper staff training, implement procedures and take all necessary precautions to ensure residents are receiving the right amounts and the right kinds of medication.

The bottom line is: Medication errors should NOT be tolerated.

To read more about medication errors in Michigan, click here.