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O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | M A Y 2 0 1 5
Learning From a Fatal Medication Error
Prevent a medication mix-up at your facility through careful inspection.
A
simple medication mishap can cause unimaginable conse-
quences. It happens more frequently than it should, but there
are steps you can take to avoid a problem. The following case
shows that several factors led to a medication error, and that open com-
munication between the patient, facility and employees is essential.
The incident
A few days after a 65-year-old Oregon woman underwent successful
neurosurgery, she became concerned about the anti-seizure medica-
tion she was taking following the procedure. Her son took her to the
ER, where a doctor ordered an IV infusion of another anti-seizure
medication.
The woman's family anticipated she would be discharged from the
emergency department and able to return home quickly. Instead, their
M E D I C A L M A L P R A C T I C E
Karen Wright, RN, BSN, ARM, CPHRM
z MEDICATION ERROR Don't let a tragedy happen at your facility.
