Elderly people or those with disabilities may rely on nursing home care to address their daily needs, provide treatment when necessary, and ensure that they can live in safe and comforting environments. Unfortunately, oversights by nursing home staff members can create serious risks for residents. Medication administration is one area where routine tasks must be carried out with precision and attention to detail. When that precision slips, nursing home residents may suffer serious harm that could affect their health, comfort, and overall well-being.

Medication Errors That Can Take Place in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities

Medication errors occur when residents receive drugs in a manner that differs from what was intended by the medical professional who prescribed the medications. These errors can involve timing, dosage, method of administration, or the medication itself. These errors should be avoidable, but they are a persistent concern in many long-term care facilities. They may include:

Overmedication

In some cases, a resident may receive more of a drug than was prescribed. This may involve an excessive dosage, doses administered too frequently, or the use of medications that are not medically necessary. Possible effects of overmedication include:

• Reduced cognitive function can impair a resident’s awareness or ability to communicate.
• Increased risk of falls related to dizziness, sedation, or decreased coordination.
• Respiratory problems related to medications that depress breathing.
• Organ damage occurs when long-term overuse affects the liver, kidneys, or heart.

In nursing home environments, overmedication can be especially dangerous because many residents are older adults who may already have chronic conditions that make them more vulnerable to harmful side effects.

Undermedication

When a resident receives too little of a prescribed drug or misses doses entirely, medical conditions may go untreated, leading to serious health issues. Undermedication may involve accidental omissions, incorrect timing, or the assumption that a medication is unnecessary. Potential consequences of undermedication include:

• Uncontrolled symptoms for chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or chronic pain.
• Delayed recovery from short-term illnesses.
• Increased risk of complications when necessary medications are not administered at appropriate levels.

Failing to provide the correct amount of a medication can be just as harmful as providing too much, particularly for residents who rely on daily treatments to manage ongoing health concerns.

Receiving the Wrong Medication

Administering the incorrect medication is one of the most serious errors that can occur in nursing homes. This may involve giving a resident another person’s medication or providing a drug that was not intended for them. This can lead to issues such as:

• A medication has powerful side effects that may have a negative effect on a patient’s health.
• A drug interacts negatively with medications the resident is already taking.
• Symptoms arise that lead to further health complications or require emergency medical care.

Failing to Provide Food or Water With Medications

Some drugs must be taken with food to prevent stomach irritation, while others require water to ensure proper absorption or to reduce the risk of choking. When food or water is not provided, residents may experience:

• Nausea or stomach pain from medications that irritate the digestive system.
• Difficulty swallowing pills that are dry or too large.
• Reduced effectiveness if the drug is not absorbed as intended.

Overlooking Side Effects and Drug Interactions

Many nursing home residents take multiple medications, which can increase the potential for harmful interactions. Staff members must remain aware of potential risks, monitor residents for side effects, and understand how new medications may affect existing treatment plans. Failing to consider these factors can lead to:

• Unexpected physical reactions such as dizziness, confusion, tremors, or severe fatigue.
• Worsening of chronic conditions when medications interfere with one another.
• Hospitalization in cases involving serious or life-threatening reactions.

Monitoring patients after administering medications is essential. Even medications that are usually harmless can have significant effects when combined with other drugs.

Why Medication Errors Occur in Nursing Homes

Medication errors do not happen without cause. They often occur due to systemic issues, procedural shortcomings, or simple but harmful oversights, all of which may be considered nursing home negligence. Potential reasons for errors may include:

Mislabeling of Medications

Mislabeling can occur when medications are stored improperly or when labels are placed incorrectly on containers. A mislabeled drug may be indistinguishable from the correct one, leading to dangerous mistakes.

Lost or Misplaced Prescriptions

Prescriptions may be misplaced during transitions between shifts, errors in record-keeping systems, or transmission of information between departments. When instructions are missing or unclear, staff members may rely on incomplete information, increasing the risk of medication errors.

Mistakes in Issuing or Filling Prescriptions

Errors can occur at pharmacies that supply medications to nursing homes. A dispensing mistake, such as providing the wrong drug or incorrect dosage, can lead to further errors when staff members administer what they believe to be accurate medications or doses.

Mixing Up Medications for Different Residents

Nursing home staff members will often need to provide care for multiple residents with complex treatment plans. Mistakes can happen when medications are not clearly organized or during busy periods when staff members are handling multiple tasks at once.

Other Staff-Related Mistakes or Oversights

Errors may also involve:

• Inaccurate record keeping when staff members fail to document doses or changes in medication schedules.
• Failure to double-check information before administering drugs.
• Assumptions that a resident has already received a dose when they have not.

Root Causes of Negligence in Nursing Homes

Medication errors often reflect broader issues within a facility rather than isolated mistakes. Some of the forms of nursing home negligence that can put residents at risk include:

Understaffing

When too few caregivers are responsible for too many residents, staff members may rush through medication rounds or overlook details. Fatigue and stress can increase the likelihood of mistakes.

Improper Training

Staff members who are not fully trained may misunderstand instructions, overlook risk factors, or fail to follow the proper procedures for organizing and administering medications. Training gaps are a significant contributor to preventable errors.

Failure to Follow Procedures

Even well-trained staff members may deviate from the proper procedures due to time pressure or informal shortcuts that develop over time. When the established procedures are not followed correctly, medication errors become more likely.

Carelessness in Handling Medical Issues

In environments where staff members follow routine tasks, they may become complacent or overly reliant on habits. Carelessness can lead to mistakes that have a serious impact on the health and well-being of residents.

Addressing Harm Caused by Medication Errors in Nursing Homes

When the health of a nursing home resident worsens, their loved ones may look for answers about what happened, and they may learn that medication errors or other forms of negligence have caused a person to suffer serious harm. In these situations, families may take steps to hold a nursing home responsible for injuries caused by negligence, ensuring that the health, safety, and well-being of their loved one and other residents will be protected in the future. A personal injury attorney with experience addressing nursing home negligence can assist with these cases, helping families understand their best options for protecting their loved ones.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, medical, or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with appropriate legal or healthcare professionals for advice specific to their circumstances.