In the world of healthcare, medication errors pose a significant challenge. These preventable mistakes can lead to discomfort, harm and even death, making it crucial for healthcare providers and patients to understand their intricacies. If you are suffering from a medication error, what type of mistake has been causing your health issue?
Errors at any point of the medication process
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, medication errors can take place at any point during the medication process. Among the common types of medication errors are:
- Prescribing errors: These happen when the healthcare provider gives a prescription with the wrong medication, dose or frequency. Prescription errors can be due to a lack of knowledge about the drug, miscommunication or miscalculation of the dose.
- Dispensing errors: These happen when the pharmacist gives the patient the wrong medication or dose. These could be due to misreading the prescription, confusing drugs with similar names or lacking knowledge about the drug.
- Administration errors: When the healthcare provider incorrectly gives the medication to the patient, they commit an administration error. They could provide the wrong dose, give the medication at the wrong time or use the incorrect route of administration. Miscommunication, lack of training and distractions are among the causes of these errors.
In addition, monitoring errors occur when the healthcare provider does not properly monitor the patient’s response to the medication. They could fail to notice side effects, not adjust the dose depending on the patient’s response or not check for drug interactions. These errors can occur when they fail to follow up with the patient or have limited knowledge about the drug.
Pursuing justice and recovery
Medical malpractice continues to be a pressing concern in healthcare. With legal support, you may understand the types of medication errors and study your options as you pursue justice. In addition, you may navigate the complex legal landscape while aiming to achieve healing and recovery.
