Comments on: Med: Medical errors are not always doctors’ fault http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/ The tale of two men--a medical student & a law student--as they journey through the world of professional school. Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:00:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: NL http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-53 NL Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:32:19 +0000 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-53 As a product and graphic designer, I will tell you that the manuf. of the drug is just as, if not more, responsible than the nurse who administered the drug. As a product and graphic designer, I will tell you that the manuf. of the drug is just as, if not more, responsible than the nurse who administered the drug.

]]> By: kurzman85 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-47 kurzman85 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:59:57 +0000 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-47 martygm- Thank you very much for that response--it was very helpful and insightful. martygm-

Thank you very much for that response–it was very helpful and insightful.

]]> By: martygrn http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-46 martygrn Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:53:56 +0000 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-46 I can tell you as an RN who has worked in many different hospitals all over the country (I am a travel nurse), that the responsibility for administering the drug after the order is written falls squarely on the backs of the nurses. I have yet to see a single physician, from attending to med student, who has ever checked a med of any kind. The high-alert meds (KCl, Digoxin, Narcs, etc.) are required to be double-checked by another RN. As to why the med was in the nursery, this is a very fair question. Were the babies in the newborn nursery or a pediatric unit? If a pediatric unit, remember, we must have stock for patients ranging in age from newborn to 17+ yrs old. That concentration may be appropriate for some teenagers. We use the heparin pre-filled syringes all the time for KVO purposes and do not even need a physician order to do so. It is protocol. The pre-filled syringes only come in two concentrations: 10U/1 mL and 100U/1mL. OF course, the prefilled syringes cost a bit more, but how much is safety worth? As for the bar-code systems, they do exists but are VERY expensive to implement. You have the initial cost of how many hundreds of computer terminals and associated hardware, but also software licensing for those very same computers. Also, the systems must communicate with some sort of patient management software so it knows the patients weight, doctors orders, etc. The cost to implement med barcoding for most hospitals comes to the tune of multi-millions. I can tell you as an RN who has worked in many different hospitals all over the country (I am a travel nurse), that the responsibility for administering the drug after the order is written falls squarely on the backs of the nurses. I have yet to see a single physician, from attending to med student, who has ever checked a med of any kind. The high-alert meds (KCl, Digoxin, Narcs, etc.) are required to be double-checked by another RN. As to why the med was in the nursery, this is a very fair question. Were the babies in the newborn nursery or a pediatric unit? If a pediatric unit, remember, we must have stock for patients ranging in age from newborn to 17+ yrs old. That concentration may be appropriate for some teenagers. We use the heparin pre-filled syringes all the time for KVO purposes and do not even need a physician order to do so. It is protocol. The pre-filled syringes only come in two concentrations: 10U/1 mL and 100U/1mL. OF course, the prefilled syringes cost a bit more, but how much is safety worth?

As for the bar-code systems, they do exists but are VERY expensive to implement. You have the initial cost of how many hundreds of computer terminals and associated hardware, but also software licensing for those very same computers. Also, the systems must communicate with some sort of patient management software so it knows the patients weight, doctors orders, etc. The cost to implement med barcoding for most hospitals comes to the tune of multi-millions.

]]> By: Carol http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-44 Carol Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:00:33 +0000 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-44 actually, some pharmacies in my town have a system similar to that for dispensing. actually, some pharmacies in my town have a system similar to that for dispensing.

]]> By: anonymous http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-42 anonymous Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:15:43 +0000 http://malpractice.wordpress.com/2007/11/21/med-medical-errors-are-not-always-doctors-fault/#comment-42 which medicines exactly do you think the doctor will be personally checking? :lol: all of them? iv only? which medicines exactly do you think the doctor will be personally checking? :lol:
all of them? iv only?

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