Injuries and Death From Nursing Home Medication Errors
When a patient receives the wrong drugs or the wrong dose, the result is often the same as if they had been poisoned. Medication errors in nursing homes frequently occur when the desire to cut costs comes into conflict with the need to ensure that all medications are prescribed and administered properly.
If your loved one suffered harm or was killed because of a medication error or overdose, you can take action to hold the nursing home accountable for their negligent actions. Matthew Dreesen and the Dreesen Law Firm in St. Louis, Missouri, can provide the dedicated, personalized representation you will need to attain justice.
For a free consultation in our St. Louis, Missouri office, call 866.840.9788 or contact us online today.
Using Sedatives as a "Chemical Restraint"
Many nursing home patients - especially those with conditions like dementia - lash out at the nursing home staff and need to be given sedatives. However, the amount of sedative given is sometimes excessive, reducing the elderly patient to a near vegetable-like existence. In addition to risking an overdose, the patient is also susceptible to bed sores and decubitus ulcers that can leave scars and give rise to dangerous infections.
Absent Medical Directors
The Federal Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 (FNHRA, also known as OBRA) made it mandatory for nursing homes to employ a licensed medical doctor as a medical director oversee treatment and medication of their patients. However, many of these doctors only view the medical director position as a part-time job. They may spend one day a week at the nursing home, and four at their own private clinic.
This means that the medical director often "rubber stamp" requests for sedatives, or they prescribe medications to patients without having given them a full, thorough review. Often, a patient will be given a drug even when medical records clearly show he or she has an allergy to it. This is often because too much responsibility for medical care falls on the shoulders of an unqualified, overburdened staff.
If your loved one was harmed or suffered wrongful death as the result of a medication error, you can take action. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced trial lawyer at Dreesen Law Firm, LLC, call us today at 866.840.9788 or contact us online.
