Medication Error at Nursing Home, Results in Brain Damage

Recovering patient was a resident at a nursing home for half a day, literally only 5 hours, before the facility made a significant medication error that nearly ended the resident’s life. Barbara Lefforge was at the nursing home rehabilitation center to recover from tendon repair surgery. Her doctor erroneously prescribed 50 mg of Morphine, that is, instead of 50 mg of Demerol. The nursing home personnel were alerted to the mistake by the pharmacist, who noted that the dosage was too high. Although the nursing home staff members were unable to get the full dosage from the pharmacist, they did not take that as a warning sign. Instead, the staff used 30 mg of Morphine from the office’s emergency medication kit and gave the medication to Ms. Lefforge.

The negative effects of the overdose were visible immediately after the victim took the medication. But, instead of taking her to get immediate treatment, the nursing home staff did nothing. The following morning was when Ms. Lefforge, who was at that time barely breathing, was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, by the time she was taken to the hospital, the damage had accelerated and the delay resulted in permanent brain damage.

The shameful aspect of this is that nursing homes continue to commit basic breaches of care to its patients, while operating facilities profitably. The nursing home's failure to comprehend the deadly risks of Morphine overdose, in addition to its refusal to rush an injured resident to the hospital for proper medical attention and treatment, are mistakes that occur often and unfortunately result in serious injuries and/or fatal consequences. The only way to hold these facilities accountable and ensure that future residents do not fall victim to the same abuse is to force the business to pay for its errors and make changes to ensure that the problem is corrected.

Has Your Loved One Been Injured in a Nursing Home?

If you believe your loved one is being subjected to nursing home abuse you need to speak with an experienced Kentucky nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.