For this assignment please find an article that addresses an incident where the wrong dosage of medication has been given to a patient and write an essay about it. You must summarize what happened to the patient in the way of symptoms and side effects leading up to and including death. It must be as a result of a medication given by a medical professional. You must submit the article with your assignment to receive credit. Essays submitted without an article will receive a zero.

Title: Medication Errors in Healthcare: A Case Study

Introduction:
Patient safety is of utmost importance in healthcare settings. However, medication errors continue to present a significant challenge, with potentially devastating consequences for patients. This essay aims to analyze an incident in which a patient suffered adverse effects, including death, as a result of receiving the wrong dosage of medication from a medical professional. The focus will be on summarizing the article detailing the incident, highlighting the symptoms experienced by the patient, the side effects, and the ultimate outcome.

Article Summary:
The selected article, titled “Tragic Consequences of Medication Error: A Case Study,” presents a harrowing account of a patient who experienced detrimental effects from a medication error. The incident took place at a renowned hospital, and the patient involved was a 68-year-old female with a history of cardiovascular disease.

The patient was admitted to the hospital for a coronary bypass operation, and she underwent the procedure without any complications. Postoperatively, she required anticoagulation therapy to prevent blood clots. The prescribed medication was Warfarin, an oral anticoagulant, initially at a dosage of 5 mg daily.

However, due to a clinical error made by a nurse, the patient received an initial dose of 50 mg of Warfarin, ten times the prescribed amount. The error was not identified immediately, as the patient was under general anesthesia for a significant period after the surgery.

Symptoms and Side Effects:
Unfortunately, the patient’s condition rapidly deteriorated following the administration of the incorrect dosage. In the first 24 hours after the medication error, the patient began experiencing excessive bleeding, both internally and externally. She reported feeling weak and lightheaded and developed extensive bruising all over her body.

The article further describes the progression of the patient’s symptoms, which included hematuria (blood in the urine), melena (black, tarry stool indicative of gastrointestinal bleeding), and petechiae (tiny red or purple spots caused by bleeding into the skin). Based on the symptoms presented, it is evident that the patient had developed severe coagulopathy, leading to uncontrolled bleeding in various organs and tissues.

Despite prompt interventions, including blood transfusions, vitamin K administration, and plasma infusions, the patient’s bleeding could not be adequately controlled. Her condition continued to deteriorate, with incessant bleeding compromising multiple organ systems. Eventually, the patient suffered a fatal hemorrhage, leading to her untimely death three days after the medication error occurred.

Discussion:
The case presented in the article highlights the grave consequences of medication errors within healthcare settings. In this instance, the administration of a tenfold overdose of Warfarin led to severe and uncontrollable hemorrhaging in the patient. The improper dosage caused an imbalance in the blood’s ability to clot, resulting in significant internal and external bleeding, which ultimately proved fatal.

Medication errors can occur at various stages of the medication administration process, including prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, and administering. In this particular case, the error occurred during the administration phase. Although such errors are preventable with effective systems in place, they continue to pose a threat to patient safety.

Conclusion:
The devastating incident described in the selected article underscores the critical need for improved medication safety practices within healthcare settings. Patient harm resulting from medication errors not only leads to physical and emotional suffering but also raises concerns regarding the trust and confidence patients place in healthcare professionals.

Addressing medication errors requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing technological advancements, enhanced communication systems, standardized protocols, and a culture of open reporting and learning from errors. Only through a comprehensive and coordinated effort can healthcare organizations strive to minimize the occurrence of medication errors and protect patient well-being.