Medication Errors in Nursing: Mistakes by Nurses Common
May 13, 2001
In an investigation conducted by the Chicago Tribune, researchers found that under trained and overworked nurses abound in the U.S. healthcare system. It comes then as no surprise that serious medical errors committed by these nurses are occurring with increasing frequency. The investigation found that since 1995 at least 1,720 hospital patients have died and 9,548 others have been injured due to nursing medical errors. Most problems occurred when patients were given the wrong drug, too much of the correct drug, or life sustaining treatment was delayed.
The investigation placed much of the blame on hospitals' increasing reliance on unlicensed nurses' aids, most of who earn just $9 per hour. A shortage of funds and licensed registered nurses has resulted in nurses' aids taking on much of the work a registered nurse used to be responsible for. One hospital has resorted to assigning the housekeeping staff to dispense patients' medications.
"I wake up every day and hope I don't kill someone today," said registered nurse Kathy Cloninger. "Every day I pray: God protect me. Let me make it out of there with my patients alive." Such sentiments are common in the underpaid and overworked world of the registered nurse.
Why the decrease in funding for trained nurses? Many observers blame pressure from managed care companies, HMOs, and other insurers to reduce hospital costs. Nurses are often the first to go in a budget crisis.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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