Medical malpractice attorneys routinely encounter prescription errors, which can have devastating and life-altering consequences.
You might wonder, why do medication errors occur? While there are many reasons why they can happen, some are more common than others.
In this blog, we’ll review all you need to know about the three most common types of prescription errors and what are some prescription error examples.
If you suspect you or a loved one is the victim of a medication error, our Kansas City medical malpractice lawyers can provide a free, honest evaluation of your legal rights and options. Contact us to schedule today.
3 Types of Prescription Errors
Medication or prescription errors are more common than you might think, and they can have drastic consequences and cause devastating injury. These are the three types we see most often.
Wrong Medication
One of the most common prescription errors is when a patient receives the wrong medication. In this case, a healthcare provider gives the patient an entirely different medication from what was prescribed.
Not only does this mean that the patient takes a medication they do not need, but it can lead to adverse reactions, ineffective treatment, and even interactions with other medications the patient is taking.
Receiving the wrong drug can be extremely harmful and can exacerbate the patient’s underlying condition, cause a new injury or condition, and lead to unwanted complications.
Incorrect Dosage
Even if you receive the correct medication, being administered the wrong dosage can be just as devastating as receiving the wrong medication.
An incorrect dosage error happens when the patient is given too much or too little of their prescribed medication.
Giving too little of the medication could render it ineffective, while giving too much can lead to an overdose or other adverse effects. Overdoses can lead to organ damage or failure, toxicity, and even death.
Failing to Identify Drug Interactions or Allergies
Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals must review a patient’s chart, medical history, and current medications to avoid prescribing or administering a medication that can harm the patient.
A thorough review of the patient’s history and, if possible, a conversation with the patient can prevent drug interactions and allergic reactions.
While these three are the most common errors, we encourage patients to be aware of others, such as the wrong route of administration and inadequate monitoring.
Improper medication administration or the failure of the healthcare provider to monitor for adverse reactions can cause serious harm to patients.
What Are the 3 Most Common Causes of Medication Errors?
You might find it hard to believe serious medication errors can happen. Clients often ask us, Why do medication errors occur? The answer is that there are many causes of medication errors. However, the following are the most common.
Doctor Error
One of the most common causes of medication errors is doctor error. The doctor might:
- Prescribe the wrong medication,
- Miscalculate the dosage,
- Fail to obtain or ignore patient history,
- Fail to consider language or cultural barriers when discussing medication with patients, and
- Fail to monitor their patient adequately after administration of the medication.
Doctors must adhere to the accepted standards of medicine when treating patients with prescription drugs. If you trusted your doctor to take care of you but suffered harm because of a medication error, we can help.
Pharmacy Errors
Even if the doctor prescribes the correct medication and dosage, the pharmacy may negligently cause a medication error. Despite being sent the correct prescription, the pharmacy could:
- Provide the wrong drug or incorrect dosage,
- Fail to include a pamphlet about possible side effects and interactions,
- Incorrectly label the medication,
- Swap medication without doctor approval,
- Fail to include instructions for proper and safe administration, and
- Provide the wrong type of medication (e.g., oral vs. topical).
It is also possible for a combination of doctor-pharmacy errors to occur. For instance, the doctor’s prescription is illegible, and instead of clarifying and confirming the medication for accuracy, the pharmacy “guesses” and fills the wrong prescription.
Nursing Errors
Nurses play a pivotal role in patient care and are responsible for monitoring the patient, administering medication, charting, and more.
For instance, if a nurse fails to chart or document a patient’s signs and symptoms of an adverse reaction, the physician could continue to prescribe a particular medication.
Nurses are the main line of communication between the patient and the doctor, and they must be thorough in their care.
Your Role as a Patient
It is also possible that the patient plays a role in their medication error. As the patient, you must thoroughly understand instructions and things to avoid while taking certain medications.
You must also inform your doctor of current and past health issues, medications, and known allergies. It is your responsibility to be clear about what other medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs to avoid while on specific prescriptions.
Your doctor or healthcare provider should discuss these before beginning a medication regime.
Proving Your Medication Error Lawsuit
Not all medication errors are the result of medical malpractice. However, if you suspect a doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or other healthcare professional’s negligence caused you harm, you may be entitled to compensation.
Like any medical malpractice claim, you must establish:
- The applicable standard of medical care,
- The medical professional breached that standard of care,
- You suffered harm as a result of that breach, and
- You suffered damages as a result of the harm.
You must prove that the medication error was not simply an error, but rather caused by someone’s negligence or misconduct.
An experienced medical malpractice attorney can assist you with gathering the necessary evidence to prove your case. This might include medical records, expert testimony, and other documents, reports, or witness accounts.
Get in Contact With a Kansas City Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we have decades of experience assisting victims of medical malpractice. We work closely with licensed doctors and nurses to provide unmatched medical malpractice representation to our clients.
Our team understands what it takes to build a strong case and get you the compensation you deserve. If a medication error harmed you and believe a healthcare professional is to blame, contact us today for a free case evaluation.
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