Medication Errors in New Jersey Nursing Homes

As people get older, they often develop medical conditions. Many older people rely on specific medications to help them maintain their health and get them through each day. The slightest error in drug dosage or administration can lead to significant harm.

If you suspect your loved one suffered harm due to medication errors in New Jersey nursing homes, our skilled nursing home abuse attorneys will be able to help you pursue a legal claim against the responsible parties.

Nursing Homes’ Duty of Care Toward Residents

All residential care facilities owe a duty of care to their residents to provide them with care and assistance that meets each resident’s basic needs. This includes nutrition, water, shelter, clothing, personal hygiene, and essential medical care. As part of this duty to provide essential medical care, nursing homes must provide residents with treatment to address their acute and chronic needs.

Nursing homes must also provide preventive care to help residents avoid developing serious illnesses and conditions. To address these medical needs, nursing homes must give residents their medications.

However, not every nursing home resident has the same medical needs, so they do not all require the same drugs. Nursing homes and other residential care facilities should create written individualized care plans for every resident in which the nursing home outlines specific treatment and care procedures and policies for the staff members to follow. Every individualized care plan must create a specific medication protocol, and the nursing home should continually monitor this protocol to see if it needs adjustment.

Additionally, nursing homes should ensure they hire staff members who have the necessary qualifications and credentials to dispense prescription drugs and administer the appropriate medical care. Nursing homes should provide training and continually monitor their staff members to ensure continued compliance with the care plans and to make sure errors do not occur.

Unfortunately, many care facilities are overburdened and understaffed. Staff members often have too many residents to care for, which can lead to rushed decisions and careless oversights, such as medication mistakes. If you suspect your loved one suffered because of a medication mistake in their New Jersey nursing home, our compassionate attorneys want to help you make things right.

We are tenacious litigators who will fight hard to get you a full and fair settlement.

Different Types of Medication Mistakes in Nursing Homes

Unfortunately, many different types of drug mistakes can occur in New Jersey nursing homes.

Intentional Overmedication Mistakes

Sadly, some drug errors occur due to the intentional overmedication of residents. This type of nursing home abuse can happen when staff members want to keep residents quiet and subdued, so they give them drugs to keep them drowsy and less alert.

Excessive overmedication can lead to health problems and even shorten residents’ lives. Irresponsible nursing homes and staff members who engage in, condone, overlook, or fail to be aware of this kind of intentional abuse should be held accountable.

Negligent Medication Mistakes

Some of the drug errors that can severely harm nursing home residents are as follows:

• Giving a resident an incorrect dose of their medication, as both an overdose and an underdose can result in serious injuries
• Failing to administer medication regularly or at the correct time of day, which can make the drug less effective
• Failing to give the resident their medications
• Administering a medication to the wrong resident

Our lawyers could skillfully investigate the medication mistake that harmed your loved one to learn what happened.

Reach Out to a New Jersey Attorney About Medication Mistakes in Nursing Homes

Medication errors in New Jersey nursing homes should never occur. When they do, you should be able to hold the nursing home staff members and the facility itself accountable. Our experienced attorneys know how to help. Reach out to our law office to schedule a preliminary consultation.