Patients in hospitals count on doctors and nurses to take good care of them. They don’t think that they’ll be harmed because those professionals are negligent. Unfortunately, medication errors do occur in these facilities.
Patients can try their best to remain safe by asking questions about the medications they’re receiving. They should understand what they’re taking and why, and they should feel empowered to speak up when something isn’t right. Even if they’re doing their part, the onus is on the hospital’s staff members to ensure that patients remain safe.
What kinds of errors occur and what are the possible effects?
Medication errors can mean a patient doesn’t get the right medication or they get the wrong dosage. In some cases, they might not get any medication at all. These errors can lead to death in the most serious cases. Patients can also suffer from disabilities, worsened medical conditions and other serious health concerns.
Hospitals should have a system of checks and balances to ensure patients receive the proper medications. Factors like nursing shortages can have a direct impact on patient safety so the administrators should work to prevent those factors while shoring up the protocol to keep patients from harm’s way.
Patients who suffered any type of harm due to a medication error in a hospital should ensure they receive medical care to address the problems that occurred. They may decide that they want to hold the liable parties accountable for the damages. Seeking compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit can make this possible. Your right to do this is limited by Nevada law, so be sure you act quickly so that time doesn’t elapse before you get your case filed.
