Error kills 2 infants in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS - Two premature infants died and a third was in critical condition after being given adult-size doses of medication, prompting hospital officials to review drug-handling procedures.Adult doses of the blood-thinner Heparin were somehow placed in a drug cabinet at the Newborn Intensive Care Unit of Methodist Hospital, said Sam Odle, chief executive of Methodist and Indiana University Hospitals. The hospital said human error was to blame.
In all, six premature babies were given the adult doses.

Two-day-old Emmery Miller and five-day-old D’myia Alexander Nelson, both girls, died Saturday night, Odle said. Three other infants were in stable condition Monday morning at Methodist, and another who was transferred to Riley Hospital for Children was in critical condition, hospital officials said.The two girls who died were both born at 25-26 weeks’ gestation, Odle said. A full-term pregnancy lasts 38 to 42 weeks.
“These are very, very small babies,” Odle said. “We are confident that no other infants except for the six were affected.”
Heparin is routinely used in premature infants to prevent blood clots that could clog intravenous drug tubes, but an overdose could cause severe internal bleeding, said Dr. James Lemons, a neonatologist at Riley.


Full Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14883323/


This is sad. My thoughts are with the families of the babies and also the nurse.