A new website, Medication-Error-Review-for-Lawyers.com, works with attorneys to uncover fault in giving out medications to patients in nursing homes and hospitals. One error per patient day is the norm in medications being handed out wrong, causing expected injury in these institutions.
San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) September 19, 2007 -- A new website, Medication-Error-Review-for-Lawyers.com, works with attorneys to uncover fault in giving out medications to patients in nursing homes and hospitals. One error per patient day is the norm in medications being handed out wrong, causing expected injury in these institutions.
"Medication-Error-Review-For-Lawyers.com", offered by Andrew S. Rosenthal, Pharm.D., reveals where and how to uncover evidence of negligence in medication error lawsuits. A Doctor of Pharmacy who has been in practice since 1967, when he earned his degree from the University of Southern California, Dr. Rosenthal provides a roadmap to real causes of negligence when a medication error has occurred.
While medications might be given according to package insert and prescription directions on its surface apparently incurring no liability to any interested parties, the fact that there is an injured patient means something went wrong. If the correct medication, given in the correct dosage, nonetheless is a time-released product, for example, it may cause harm to a patient with difficulty swallowing if a thoughtful nurse crushed and mixed it with apple sauce or jelly and didn't know that crushing time-release formulations could release the medication all at once, causing the dosage to be delivered at dangerous levels.
"Knowing where to look is as important as what to look for," said Dr. Rosenthal, who has done consulting for nursing homes. A consultant pharmacist is one who reviews medication records on admission and then only on a monthly basis because in-house pharmacies are not required under licensure standards for that class of medical facility.
As a result, licensed pharmacists work one-on-one with those who service patients directly. Their job description requires, as part of each visit, to watch while medication nurses or drug aides hand out prescriptions as ordered by the doctors. This procedure, called a "med pass," ensures the medications are being handed out with the proper technique, as well as other necessary skills.
"As a rule, the more education and the more sophisticated the degree, the farther from the patient is from the degree-holder," Dr. Rosenthal said. "This translates to a wealth of discovery that can be uncovered when inquiring into the feasibility if a lawsuit. Studies show there is at least one prescription error per patient day, and it may not be from the prescription or the dosage, but from how it is (mis)delivered.
A registered nurse (RN) does not pass out meds; licensed vocational nurses (LVN), with a year's training, or a certified nurses' aide (CNA) performs that chore. The likelihood that an RN, much less a physician, would know that the medications monitor served the meds with meals or milk when these agents might negate the medicinal effect are likely to go undetected.
"One thing is for sure," said Dr. Rosenthal. "A thorough review of a medication error case has to be looked at from the bottom up, to uncover every possible angle of liability. It is too important, not just to the injured party, but to remember that nothing convinces providers to keep a closer eye on their medication delivery practices than a lesson in the wallet."
http://Medication-Error-Review-for-Lawyers.com is a site that regularly updates information geared to attorneys specializing in medical malpractice, medication error, and nursing home issues. Practitioners would do well to check frequently for the newest information in issues and concerns when doing due diligence for a winning lawsuit, Dr. Rosenthal said.
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