Overdoses
One of the most important aspects of quality care in nursing homes is the proper administration of medications. Nursing home staff are responsible for ensuring that all residents receive the correct medications and the proper doses. However, when nursing homes suffer from understaffing or poor staff training, medication mistakes can occur.
Types of Medication Errors
Negligence in nursing homes can lead to residents being over-medicated, as well as residents receiving the wrong medication entirely. Sadly, this can and does lead to life-threatening overdoses.
Incorrect Medication
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the average nursing home resident takes seven to eight different medications a month to maintain their health. Even though federal guidelines are in place to regulate the process of dispensing this medication, many nursing home residents receive the wrong medication or the wrong dose each year.
When one resident receives medication that was really intended for another resident, both residents end up suffering from the nursing home staff’s negligence. When a resident receives the wrong medication, dangerous drug interactions and side effects can occur, causing serious health problems and possibly even leading to an early death. If the nursing home staff is overwhelmed due to understaffing or poor training, medications can get mixed up and dispensed improperly.
Medication Overdoses
Sometimes, even when the right medication is dispensed, the wrong dosage is given. This can lead to overmedicating the resident or an overdose with serious repercussions.
Signs of an overdose include:
Erratic or unexplained changes in behavior
Unusual reclusive action towards loved ones
Unusual fatigue or exhaustion
Oversleeping or hyperactivity
New complications or physical symptoms
Easily confused or disoriented
Note that these are just some of the signs of an overdose. If you notice unusual changes in your loved one’s mood or behavior, or any unexpected physical changes, it could be a sign of over-medication or an overdose.
Overdoses and Errors Due to Negligence
When a resident’s medications get mixed up with someone else’s, it is usually an unintentional mistake by nursing home staff. However, this is still considered a form of negligence, as the nursing home is liable for providing proper care to its residents.
If you suspect your loved one is being over-medicated in his or her nursing home facility, take the following steps:
Try to visit when medications are dispensed.
Ask to see a log of the drugs given to your loved one.
Have a doctor run tests to determine any complications.
Raise your concerns with the nursing home administrator.
Talk to your loved one’s doctor about all of the medications they are taking.
Many instances of nursing home abuse and negligence go unreported. It is crucial that you remember that as the loved one of an elderly person, you are their voice.
Legal Help for Nursing Home Negligence
If your loved one is currently suffering from over-medication or has suffered an overdose in his or her nursing home, contact us to find out more about your legal rights. Our attorneys are well-versed in the various forms of nursing home negligence and abuse, including medication errors and overdoses, and we are dedicated to helping the victims find justice.