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Nursing Homes Are Required To Give Proper Medication

Safe administration of medications is a primary responsibility for nursing homes. Many residents take or receive multiple medications daily. Some must be taken with food. Some must be crushed. Some cannot be given if the resident has eaten certain foods. Some require monitoring of vital signs or other conditions before giving the medication. Nursing home staff must know the medications, how to administer them, what their side effects are, and how to gauge whether the medications are effective.

Examples of Medication Errors and Harms

Common types of medication errors include:

  • Overdose
  • Underdose
  • Dispensing the wrong medication
  • Giving the right medication the wrong way
  • Failing to recognize or monitor for side effects
  • Giving the right medication at the wrong time

Medication errors can cause:

  • Heart attacks
  • Strokes
  • Hyperglycemia
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Strokes
  • Seizures
  • Abdominal/intestinal injuries
  • Lethargy (which can lead to falls and other problems)
  • Dizziness (which can lead to falls and other problems)
  • Loss of appetite (which can lead to skin breakdown and other problems)
  • Severe allergic reactions
  • Death

Medication errors are most likely to occur when nursing homes do not train their staff, hires insufficient staff, or overwork their staff, forcing them to rush or cut corners on medication safety.

Action Plan

To Protect Yourself Or A Loved One From Medication Errors, You Should:

  1. Ask the nurse to verify what the medication, dose, method (or route) of administration, and time for every medication.
  2. If your loved one is unable to communicate with staff, make sure staff is able to accurately identify your loved one (by asking staff to place a current picture of your loved one with the medication record).
  3. Do not assume that all staff members know your loved one by face or by name.
  4. Ask to see the chart (specifically the Medication Administration Record) to verify what is ordered and what has been given.
  5. Call us if you believe that you or a loved one has been injured by a medication error.

Skilled Attorneys Dedicated To Helping You Protect Your Senior Loved Ones

At Konicek & Dillon, P.C., we are committed to helping the loved ones of nursing home residents who has been injured through a medication error. Medication error cases can require thorough investigations to show how nursing home owners and operators were at fault. With more than 150 years of combined experience focused on nursing home abuse and neglect, our attorneys understand how to build strong cases that can help you create accountability and hopefully prevent another family from having to go through the same type of tragedy.

Contact The Geneva Medication Errors In Nursing Homes Lawyers of Konicek & Dillon, P.C.

If a senior loved one has suffered an injury due to staff malpractice with medications in a nursing home, our skilled attorneys can help you create accountability and protect your loved one from further harm. We understand what is at stake, and we know how to take immediate action that will protect your loved one’s rights. To schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Geneva nursing home negligence attorneys, call 630-313-2071; in Chicago, call 312-239-0283. You can also contact us online.