Errors involving medication in the medical field can occur at any stage, from administration to prescription. A healthcare provider could make a medication error that injures a patient, which could be considered medical malpractice.
Here is what to know about medication errors:
Examples of medication errors
Examples of medication errors include administering medication using the wrong route, administering an incorrect dosage of medication, administering the wrong drug, administering a medication earlier or later than its scheduled time, giving medication to the wrong patient, prescribing a medication a patient is allergic to and a patient not receiving a medication that has been ordered.
Causes of medication errors
Different factors contribute to medication errors. For starters, when a physician fails to obtain a patient’s allergy history. A doctor should learn more about their patient to avoid administering or prescribing a medication that may cause an allergic reaction.
Poor communication is another reason behind medication error cases. If a doctor miscommunicates the drug or dosage, a patient could be harmed if a nurse or other healthcare provider follows the doctor’s orders.
Poor communication when a patient is being handed over to a secondary care provider, for example, a specialist after a referral, can also increase the chances of a medication error. The secondary care provider should be adequately informed about the patient’s medication history.
Further, healthcare professionals who are not adequately trained or knowledgeable about drug administration, dosage calculations and other drug-related aspects are more likely to make medication errors.
System errors, such as mistakes in the tracking of medication orders, and technical failures like problems with drug-dispensing machines, can also lead to medication errors.
A hospital or health care provider should be extra careful to avoid medication errors. If you sustain an injury due to this error, you may want more information about your options.