Phoenix Wrong Medication and Drug Error Lawyer

Sadly, giving residents the wrong medication or administering medication improperly represents a frequent form of nursing home abuse in Phoenix and across the U.S.

If your loved one has suffered physically as the result of a nursing home issuing the wrong medication or making some other type of drug error, you have the right to pursue compensation.

A Zanes Law wrong medication and drug error lawyer in Phoenix, AZ will help you recover the damages you seek. Call 866-499-8989  for a free case review.

Ways That Nursing Homes Give Wrong Medication And Make Drug Errors

The chain of people involved in prescribing and administering medication to nursing home residents is long and at times inconsistent. At any link in this chain, a resident can suffer the effects of receiving the wrong medication, having it administered improperly, or some other drug error.

Medication And Drug Errors That Happen During Administration

Many nursing homes endure understaffing. The staff that administers medication to residents tend to be tired and overworked. When too few people are forced to handle this administration, staff can feel rushed, get distracted, and make mistakes, including:

• Administering medications that have expired
• Giving too much medication
• Not rolling, shaking, or mixing the medicine
• Not giving enough medication or skipping a dose
• Splitting a pill that should not be divided
• Not using the right technique to administer the meds
• Giving meds at the wrong rate or time
• Giving the wrong medication or strength of the medication
• Not administering eye drops properly
• Not giving enough antacids or food with the medication
• Inaccurately or incorrectly documenting the medication
• Not providing enough liquids with medications
• Not monitoring resident following administration of the medication
• For sublingual meds, having the patient swallow them
• Following the wrong med pass routine

For a free legal consultation with a wrong medication and drug error lawyer serving Phoenix, call 866-499-8989

Medication And Drug Errors That Result At The Prescription Level

Mistakes happen at the top of the chain, too, with doctors and pharmacists playing a role in the nursing home’s administering medications that are improperly prescribed or filled. For example:

Over- Or Under-Prescribing Medication

If residents do not get enough medication, it will not have the intended and needed effect. If the physician prescribes more medication than what is necessary, it can lead to overdoes, bleeding, brain damage, addiction, or death.

Not Identifying Adverse Drug Or Food Interactions

Many drugs do not “play well” with other medications or foods, even. Doctors must be informed about the drugs a resident is currently taking before prescribing additional medication.

Not Acquiring Or Reviewing A Resident’s Medical History

The effects a medication has on a resident rely not only on which other drugs the patient is taking but also on the patient’s complete medical history. This information must be given to the physician and reviewed by the physician before he or she prescribes medications.

Poor Communication Between Staff And Healthcare Professionals

When physicians’ orders and instructions regarding medications appear misspelled, or in illegible handwriting, or when words are incorrectly abbreviated or medications are mislabeled, nursing staff can quite easily make mistakes by giving wrong medications and other drug errors.

However your loved one experienced a medication or drug error, Zanes Law’s wrong medication and drug error lawyers in Phoenix, AZ will do everything from A to Z to see that you are compensated for the injuries sustained as the result of this negligence.

Phoenix Wrong Medication and Drug Error Lawyer Near Me 866-499-8989

Other Forms Of Medication Mismanagement At Nursing Homes

Still, other forms of negligence with medication involve more deliberate, rather than accidental, behaviors on the part of the nursing home staff.

Examples of intentional medication mismanagement include the following:

Diversion Of Medication

A staff member steals the medication, either to sell to someone else or for personal use.

Ignoring An Order

For whatever reason, a staff member discontinues a resident’s medication, adds medications that the physician did not order for the resident, or changes the physician’s order.

Medication Borrowing

Sometimes, during med pass, staff members realize that a medication needed by a resident is missing so they borrow the medication designated for another resident rather than going to get the correct medication for the resident being treated. This practice can confuse the med pass system in many ways, especially if the borrowing is not documented.

Given the fact that the nursing home is responsible for the hiring, training, and supervision of all its staff, the facility can be held liable for complications that result from this type of medication mismanagement.

Call or text 866-499-8989 or complete a
Free Case Evaluation form

Phoenix Nursing Home Abuse Blog Posts:

Infographic: Surviving a dust storm: Do you know what to do?

Doug Zanes shares advice on surviving a dust storm. Giant dust storms, popularly called “haboobs,” make for spectacular photos that everyone has seen shared on social media. Dust storms

Proposed Auto Insurance Hikes Could Help Injured Drivers

As a Tucson lawmaker proposes raising liability coverage required for motorists, personal injury attorneys at Zanes Law remind drivers to explore all of their options after an accident. “Now

Need Personal Injury Legal Advice? Listen to Our NEW Podcast by Doug Zanes!

We are excited to announce that we have officially launched the Zanes Law Personal Injury Legal Tips podcast, featuring advice from Zanes Law owner and responsible attorney Doug Zanes. When

Infographic: Bitten by a Dog in Arizona? What You Need to Know

It’s hard to think that a cute and cuddly dog could cause harm to anyone—but it happens. So, what is the best way to handle a dog bite incident? Be sure to find an attorney who is licensed