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Husband Mistakenly given Ritilan

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Posted 1/1/2012 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
Well first I want to wish all a Happy New Years Eve.  Hope all is going smoothly for you all. 

This Thursday, the Nursing Home where my husband is staying (hereafter the B&B) accidently gave my husband someone else's Ritalin dose, instead of his morphine pill.  I am so so angry at them.  Dr. was called, report made, they called me and I immediately went to B & B, and hubby was so so messed up....speeding...wired...running up and down the halls...couldn't sit still.  I spent the whole night up with him so keep explaining to him what had happened and why he was messed up.

They explained how it happened and Director of Nursing came down to talk to me and actually said to me,  "We are human, we make mistakes, that's how we learn. "  ***  I am still mad.  The med aid that did it, apologized but  I need to file a formal complaint and the NH director wants to talk it over with me, but I am so so angry that I am waiting until next week to talk to them.

Hubby is now home with me and trying to sleep off Ritalin effects (and of course was without his morphine for a while as they couldn't give it to him on top of the Ritalin.) 

I would like some input as how to handle this.  So far I have 1. talked to med aid who did it and she was apologetic and real upset when I did talk to her  2. Made them run out the records of what they did and give them to me 3. Talked with the Night nurse that was on duty while he was "speeding."  4. Documented everything that happened  5.  Got him out of there as soon as I felt the effects of Ritalin were wearing off and I could take him home without worrying that he would have a heart attack at home.

I am so angry it is hard to think straight and mostly...I am worried about the effects on hubby..he is really really tired (but that could be the ESLD).  His Dr. said the effects of the Ritalin would be worn off in 4 hours, but it was more like 14 hours, as I was there with him.  I feel so guilty that I put him there for his safety and then I can't protect him from a stupid incompetent med aid.  Any pointers on this would be appreciated.  PART OF ME THINKS<   JUST GET HIM OUT OF THERE AND DON"T TAKE HIM BACK>>THEY ARE INCOMPETENT>  Thanks for any words of wisdom.

Other than the above, I am working hard to make this evening and tomorrow a pleasant and quiet relaxing time listening the wonderful music on Public Radio.  Good eve  smurf

Angie1953

Posted 1/1/2012 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Wow. I've no advice for you, but simply wanted to say how horrified I am that this has happened. I'm so sorry, Angie.

I am sending you lots of caring thoughts as you work out how to deal with this situation.

Ivy.
Posted 1/1/2012 2:56 AM (GMT 0)
I would be upset, too, Angie. Those kinds of errors are why nurses should be giving out meds (and not "med aids"), plus there should be checks and balances in place. I'm wondering if the person the Ritalin was meant for got your hubby's morphine instead?? (Good question to ask.) Also, what are they doing to make sure such a mix-up doesn't happen again? Those kinds of mistakes aren't a learning experience--they are mistakes that should never be made in the first place, as they could cost a life. When in the hospital, I always ask what medication(s) they're giving me and note the color and shape of the pills. (This came in handy when I had to organize and take meds post-transplant.) I do this with new meds, too, and read the info on them. Of course, I realize your hubby has not been in the frame of mind to be able to do this.

My first inclination would be to withdraw hubby from that place. However, other places also make mistakes...and this is supposed to be a temporary stay. I would definitely file a complaint with your state's Office of Professional Regulation against the Nursing Director and whoever you need to file a complaint with for the NH.

It's okay if you are angry when you see the Medical Director. You have every right to be. The reason that it took so long for the Ritalin to wear off is that hubby's liver is damaged and not metabolizing normally. His doctor should know that.

I hope he will be okay and that the rest of youir New Year's weekend is uneventful.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 1/1/2012 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
I had problems at the LTAC where al was at ..but they weren't giving him anti rejection meds ..which is just as bad ..I was so pissed ....eventually I got him transferred to another hospital ...now he's home thankgoodness....hope u can calm down and relax and enjoy the new year I will light a candle for you tonight angie ...keep us posted
Posted 1/2/2012 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
This "med error" can happen anywhere... I would highly suggest that you ask about the type of training that is given and request that retraining happen.... and look into the NH protocol.... I have trained Med aides... as a staff trainer and have been certified as a Med aide for 30 years... the training in the past ten years has slipped in group homes... and NH never used to have Med aides and they do now... in the past three years working at a group home... I saw the same type of mistake... and was horrified... I was not the trainer and am not currently a trainer though I am med certified... to me it is not ok for this to happen once... and used to be the industry standard that one mistake like this and a person was fired... now what happens is retraining... I've seen group homes.... running people through a medication training class in two hours... our course was 40 hours and quite rigorous with an RN overseeing the administration part of it... and quite a few medication administration observations before one was certified... and the process took a month... not... just a day... that's my two cents.... lies in the training... and the follow up training...
Sandi
Posted 1/2/2012 4:17 AM (GMT 0)
Sandi, thanks for that input. Very informative. I do agree that one mistake like that should mean the person responsible should be fired. It could cost someone his/her life. No doubt that the training is probably not what it should be or used to be. Everyone is cutting corners these days. Just as LPNs are rarely used anymore in hospital settings--they use med techs or patient care aides--it seems they are using med aids who aren't sufficiently trained or supervised. What really got to me in this situation was the Nursing Director telling Angie that "that's how we learn." NO! They should've learned beforehand, not after giving a patient the wrong med! Yes, mistakes happen, but that's a really poor excuse and minimizes the crisis the mistake caused.

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 1/2/2012 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
I myself have LPN training... and the medication administration course taught in North Dakota... is sufficient to prevent errors from a training point... the problem... is people just plain don't take medication administration seriously both in training and in administering....the content of the med tech program is similar to the LPN training... it's that people recruited for those positions ... many of them barely passed high school... oh well this is redundant... one mistake ... one error and a person was fired in North Dakota... and I never had an error... nor have had... Sandia...
Posted 1/2/2012 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Sandia, I think that the problem everywhere these days is lack of proper education or training. Private vocational schools are popping up like weeds. I see TV ads for these schools at least 6 times a day. All they really want is your money. Most of them prepare you for nothing in the real world and the real world also wants certification (more money) and experience. I know someone who is a salesman for one of these schools. He says, "You wouldn't believe the crap we tell people to get them to sign up."

Hugs,
Connie
Posted 1/2/2012 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
You are so very right... Sandia
Posted 1/4/2012 7:31 AM (GMT 0)
All,
Thanks for all the input. Today I have had a 2 hour meeting with nursing home administration director, director of nursing and social service director. Explained all my concerns (plus, last night took hubby back to NH only to find the staff had made his bed and left his bloody sheets on the bed and pillow.. someone just made bed and ignored all blood spots, I guess) and they listened and explained what all they were going to do to remedy the situation. WE SHALL SEE.

Meanwhile hubby is busy counting days...He said today, "Only 5 more days here" We were trying it out for 30 days. Spoke with his GP Dr. today and he will release him from NH when I want him to. (He reported the wrong meds given.) So far, I haven't had too much of a rest, but this experience has been an eye opener.

Thanks again for the input. (Hubby and I did have a nice quiet two days (NY Eve and NY Day) together at home.)
Angie1953
Posted 1/4/2012 7:37 AM (GMT 0)
Elle,
Thanks for the candle lighting over the NY holiday. I was out of candles and didn't feel like going out for one, so was good to know there was one out there burning for us. So sorry to hear you and Al had similar med mistake problems. It is so infuriating...when they are the professionals.

I am exploring other B & B (NHome) options. There are two with good reps, but both are 30 miles away, which isn't really far in miles, but winter in Nebraska can be challenging.

Hope you and Al had nice NY holiday time together.
Angie1953
Posted 1/4/2012 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Yes ... Well 60 miles in driving are no fun ....the transplant hospital is 45 miles one way from home ..which I know other people drive way further ..but it was a challenge with the kids as I had to drive back and forth everyday ..ii did that for about 8 months ....ts was costly and tiring ...now we only go once a week all day for appt but I can handle that ....pretty much the whole family has a cold ....my youngest has ashma and treatments every 4 hours along with all of als meds and vitials I'm quite tired ...and have the mild sniffes ....al was really weak today and me basically having to transfer him him to wheelchair ect .....good thing I have always worked out .....cause he is 150 pounds which is low for him ....but I'm glad because I dont think I could lift much more ..I know the one LTAC al was at was terrible ..I was afraid they might kill him ..not giving him his meds ..never coming when he called ..leaving him in a soiled bed ...when he was there he started running fever and the transferred him back to transplant hospitality..even though it was a step backwards I was so glad .after fever scare they wanted us to go back to that LTAC ...I was like no way ....over my dead body ...I convince the docs to let him go to a LTAC closer to home and was comfortable leaving knowing they would take care of him and I actually knew a nurse a aid there. Then his next stop was the rehab ...they were awesome ......they had pride in their jobs tand went way above what they had to do ...that place was truly amazing ....I'm sitting in lobby of their outpatient rehab while al .....get a work out ....I haven't been back to work yet because he has appt everyday ..all day long pretty much ..we get to rest on the weekends ...oh how I hate mondays and the lugging the wheelchair back in forth out of the car ....its very trying for me cause I never stop now ...but I knew this is how it would be when he came home . Hopefully we will have less pt/ot ....and we are doing more labs because of the low white blood count ...but anyways now that I have rambled on about my issues ....it could always be worst .....I hope you have a easy time making a decision ...tour both places ...unfortunately sometimes things look good and they turn out not to be what you. Thought ........keep me posted on what you decide ......
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