New York paramedics often have to work in less than perfect conditions, make snap decisions and act quickly, so medication mistakes can occur. Medication errors are defined by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research as preventable events that lead to patient harm or inappropriate use of medications. These errors can arise from a variety of causes, including product labels, distribution and lack of education.
New York paramedics often have to work in less than perfect conditions, make snap decisions and act quickly, so medication mistakes can occur. Medication errors are defined by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research as preventable events that lead to patient harm or inappropriate use of medications. These errors can arise from a variety of causes, including product labels, distribution and lack of education.
In the past, paramedics were required to memorize drug dosages and protocols, and they were expected to do mental calculations to determine the correct dosage for a patient. Due to research showing that these methods increase the risk of errors, paramedics now use checklists and other aids to determine dosages.
Mistakes are frequently made when two drugs have similar names, have similar packaging or a similar delivery route. In particular, morphine and midazolam have been discovered to be frequently confused. There is no single and simple solution to preventing medication errors, but safety systems and protocols are an essential part of reducing mistakes. Things like cross checking medications prior to administration, reporting adverse events and developing a culture of patient safety are all helpful in ensuring that patients are given the correct medication in the correct amount.
Medication errors may involve administering an incorrect drug or administering the incorrect dosage of the correct drug. These types of mistakes can have serious consequences for patients. Along with the possibility of side effects, if people are being given the wrong drug, they are also not receiving the treatment they do need. Those who have been harmed by this type of an error may want to seek the advice and counsel of an attorney in order to determine whether they have a compensable medical malpractice claim.
