Common Medication Errors in Nursing Homes

Most people in nursing homes are on a medication regimen. I always say no healthy person goes to a nursing home. You’re there because you’re suffering from an injury. You’re there to recover, whatever it might be. And obviously medications are very important. They can be very helpful, but they can also be harmful if they’re not used correctly. One issue that arises is the idea of chemical restraints. A lot of times it’s easier to sedate a patient instead of address something that’s bothering them or making them ask for help so frequently. And so there’s a certain type or class of medications called psychotropic medications that can be helpful if it’s indicated. But before those medications are used, there needs to be informed consent. Essentially, someone needs to call you or speak to the patient and explain what the risks and benefits are of that particular medication. And that needs to be signed off by either the responsible party or the patient themselves. And so a lot of times that’s not done and those medications are provided which will end up sedating the patient or making them more lethargic or subject to falling or other issues. When the wrong medications are prescribed and or overprescribed or overused by the facility, it can lead to other issues like increased lethargy which can affect how much they eat, their risk of falling and other issues. If you believe that your loved one may have been subject to medication issues or medication errors at the nursing home they’re at, please give us a call. We’ll get the records. We’ll be able to take a look at that for you and find out what’s really going on.