Mistakes can happen anywhere and nursing homes in New Mexico are no exception. If you or a loved one are in one of these homes, you likely need several different types of medications and specialized care. With so many complicated regimens, it is no surprise that errors may be more common than you might think. We at Curtis and Lucero can investigate any claims and work to secure the compensation you deserve.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the environment in a nursing home can be one of the most difficult medical settings and feature some of the largest risks for injury. Studies have revealed that the challenging nature of these facilities contributes to a high level of adverse drug events. Researchers analyzed these events at two large facilities that offered long-term care and found that the error rate was almost 10 for every 100 resident-months.
The most common drug categories involved in these events were diuretics, anticoagulants, antipsychotic agents and antiepileptic medications. Scientists believe that 40 percent of the errors were preventable.
Another common medication for errors is warfarin. The adverse events of this drug were preventable in 30 percent of cases.
One of the biggest causes for these mistakes was miscommunication. This can occur when a doctor is ordering a treatment and the instructions are not correctly recorded or when a patient is transitioned from the hospital and discharge orders are overlooked. Telephone conversations and simplification of complex medical histories can also play a role in errors. For more information on this topic please visit our web page.