PROTECTING THE LEGAL INTERESTS OF INJURED HAWAII RESIDENTS AND VISITORS SINCE 1973

Medication mistakes often made by nurses in ICUs

On Behalf of | Jan 5, 2017 | Medical Malpractice |

Any medical patient who winds up in the intensive care unit in Hawaii may be at risk if medication of any type is needed. Data shows ICUs are places of high risk for nursing negligence with regard to mistakes being made with medications. Every year, preventable adverse drug events caused by medication errors are recorded in hospitals throughout the nation.

Mistakes are often made in connection with various types of antimicrobial and cardiovascular drugs. Many families suffer the untimely deaths of loved ones due to such errors. The workload in an intensive care unit is often heavy, and many medical teams say they are overworked and understaffed.

This can create a chaotic environment where busy nurses, who are extremely fatigued, become prone to making serious mistakes. While there are inherent risks associated with any type of medical care, hospitals are obligated to provide proper training of all staff members and adhere to all regulations concerning accepted safety standards. Nurses often have critical roles in preventing medication mistakes, and the ultimate responsibilities of patient safety lies with them.

While some medication mistakes occur without harm to patients, others have catastrophic (or fatal) effects. Human beings are certainly not error proof. However, every medical patient in Hawaii and all other states has the right to reasonably expect nurses and other staff members will provide cautious, diligent high standard care. If nursing negligence has caused a patient to suffer injury or illness, justice may be sought in a civil court by filing a medical malpractice claim against any and all parties deemed responsible.

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