Medication is meant to relieve our symptoms and prevent illness, but that’s not the reality of it for all patients. If a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or care provider prescribes or administers medication incorrectly, they may have committed medical malpractice.
Unfortunately, there’s opportunity for medication errors to happen in pharmacies, hospitals, urgent care facilities, assisted living homes and nursing homes. There are also many points in which an error can occur within the process of prescribing, filing and administering medication.
The following are all examples of medication errors that may be considered medical malpractice:
- Pharmacy errors, such as incorrectly filling a prescription
- Failing to record or reference a patient’s history of prescription drug use (allergies, medical history, lab results, etc.)
- Failing to warn a patient of the risks associated with a prescribed medication
- Incorrect use of anesthesia
- Improper use of blood thinners
- Prescribing medications that have dangerous effects when combined
- Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage of medication to a patient
- Administering the wrong medication or dosage of medication to a patient
- Failing to prescribe or administer necessary medication
Medication errors may worsen a patient’s illness, create long-term side effects, cause a patient to relapse or even take a patient’s life. If you or a loved one have experienced any of these medication errors, it’s important to hold your medical professional responsible. Contact an attorney to talk about your options.