Misprescription of drugs
"The adult may be safely treated as a child; the converse can lead to disaster"
[William E Ladd].
Misprescription of drugs can occur in a variety of ways and in a number of different
situations.
- Many drug errors arise through careless prescribing, eg misreading of badly written
and illegible prescriptions when drugs with similar proprietary names, but very
different actions become confused.
- The prescription of adult strength tablets instead of those designed for children
(when the latter are required).
- Drug errors with tragic consequences often result from simple human error or sheer
carelessness. The most dangerous mistakes occur in hospital practice where particularly
potent drugs are used. A number of factors are known to contribute to serious drug
errors. They include:
- The increasing complexity and potency of modern treatments.
- Staffing patterns that interfere with continuity and consistency of care for both
doctors and nurses, eg short term rotations through specialist units or the necessity
for inexperienced doctors to cross cover specialist units either because of staff
shortages from leave, illness or from the required reduction in junior doctor hours
without a comensurate increase in staff.
- Inappropriate delegation of specialised treatment procedures to relatively junior
and inexperienced staff.
- Physical and emotional exhaustion from working long periods without sleep.
- Inadequate or nonexistent systems for cross checking potent drug doses between doctors,
between nurses or between doctors and nurses.
- Failure to identify certain drugs or substances as being particularly dangerous
by distinctive labelling and safe storage.
- Believe it or not simply giving a patient another patient’s medication by mistake.
- Miscalculating drug reactions:
Doctors must take account of manufacturer’s instructions and known side affects
when prescribing drugs, although they should not necessarily rely on the manufacturer’s
information unthinkingly, since it is known that manufacturers are not always entirely
frank about the contraindications or risks associated with their product. Where
a doctor ignores the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings, it is the doctor
who is responsible for any adverse reactions.
To find out more about miscalculating drug reactions please read our guide to misprescription of drugs.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a misprescription of drugs and have
suffered an injury as a result you might be entitled to compensation. Contact one
of our specialist Solicitors now for a free consultation. Call our helpline today
on 0800 195 8464 or use our free, no obligation,
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855 1400.