Medication errors can cause complications for patients. A large percentage of medications require self-administration. Patients fill their prescription at a pharmacy and then follow medical instructions. People who worry about medication errors may feel safer when receiving treatment in a medical setting.
The administration of intravenous (IV) drugs is one of the most effective means of treating various medical challenges. People can receive potent medications, possibly compounded specifically for them, given their characteristics and needs. However, health care professionals can easily make mistakes during IV drug administration that have major consequences for patients.
Patients harmed by preventable medication errors may have experienced medical malpractice.
IV errors are shockingly common
Research shows that IV drug administration error rates range from just under 10% to over 90%, depending on the location of the study and how researchers define IV errors. Even using the conservative 9% figure means that roughly 1 in 10 patients experience some kind of noticeable mistake during the administration of an IV drug.
Distraction, labeling issues and input errors when setting up the machinery that delivers an IV drug are all common sources of IV medication issues in medical settings. Timing errors, meaning that the healthcare professional arranges for inappropriately slow or unnecessarily rapid administration of a drug, are among the most common.
Errors where health care professionals confuse medications intended for different patients are also a major concern. IV errors can lead to overdoses, dangerous drug interactions or treatment failure.
Patients negatively affected by preventable medication errors may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. Successfully pursuing compensation for increased medical expenses, reduced income and other losses can help people recover from the damaging impact of preventable medication errors.