Deaconess Hospital pt given wrong radioisotpe dose...

Published

deaconess patient gets wrong dosage

by ella johnson courier & press staff writer 464-7420 or [email protected] (evansville, in)

april 5, 2003

a young patient at deaconess hospital was mistakenly given a radioisotope in a dosage that was 100 times greater than the amount prescribed by the patient's doctor for a thyroid scan.

deaconess officials confirmed the error happened march 28. the patient's family was not informed of the situation until friday, after hospital officials were asked about the event based on information obtained from the nuclear regulatory commission's web site.

"we are diligently investigating the cause of the dosing discrepancy, and we are already in the process of implementing corrective action to prevent a recurrence," said michael hart, the interim public relations manager at deaconess. "it is important to note that the patient's physician expects no significant adverse health effect from the dose."

the names of the patient and the physician were not disclosed. hart said the physician delayed notifying the family of the medication error because the incident is not expected to have a "significant adverse health effect" and the doctor wanted to tell them in person.

according to information from the nuclear regulatory commission, a 9-year-old patient was given 400 microcuries of i-131 when the child had only been prescribed 4 microcuries of i-131.

"the error occurred when the patient couldn't swallow the capsule and the hospital ordered a liquid form of the radioisotope," the nuclear regulatory commission web site stated. "the wrong dosage was ordered from the radiopharmacy. the error was not discovered until after the dosage has been administered."

the nuclear regulatory commission said deaconess is performing "detailed calculations involving the medical event" and is reviewing the situation to prevent it from happening again.

i wonder though about the long term effects though. i would think this kid would be at a higher risk for cancer.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Yikes! That's looks real good on Deaconess's part.

I had my thyroid scan done at St. Mary's

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Originally posted by Mimi Wheeze

Yikes! That's looks real good on Deaconess's part.

I had my thyroid scan done at St. Mary's

I have never been a big fan of Deaconess when I lived in Evansville. My Dad's HMO was through Welborn before it closed its doors, but when I was real small I was treated at Deaconess. Had a bad experience with Deaconess and my Grandmother that left a bad taste in my mouth. I had moved from Evansville before Welborn closed its doors, so now it is a mute point with me. Except when I am back home visiting and one of my kids needs ER care. Then I will drive out to St. Mary's. I am not sure what hospital my parents would end up in if they needed medical care. I know that my Grandmother (other side of family) has been hospitalized at St. Mary's the past few times and received excellent care. ;)

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Poor kid. I agree high risk for cell mutations for a long time.

renerian

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Risk for thyroid cancer???

My sister as a young child received some sort of radioactive "therapy" for her tonsils. (They liked to "fool around" with radioactivity back in the 50's--x-ray machines in shoe stores, radioactive watch faces, putting radioactive material down kids' throats... UGHH!!!) She ended up dying at age 50 of thyroid cancer. Very sad and so unnecessary.

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Specializes in Float Pool, ICU/CCU, Med/Surg, Onc, Tele.

OMG VickyRN, how SAD. I'm so sorry to hear that. And really upset on behalf of this child's family, too.

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