patient dies from combination of drugs that doc prescribed. who is responsible?

[premedwoahs]

is the nurse who administered, or the doctor who prescribed it responsible?

& why?

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

both. The doctor for prescribing the wrong medications/lethal combination and the nurse who administer because she didnt question the order.

[franciscangypsy]

I believe that it is both. The doctor b/c he prescribed it, the nurse b/c she gave the medication. We are responsible for anything we do to a patient and are supposed to catch any mistakes and report unusual doses or other med concerns to the doctor to be fixed.

That was the impression I got from nursing school however. Does that sound correct?

[madea-nurse]

Both parties. One for prescribing and the other for administering

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

I'd say both.

We've come a long way from the days when the nurse could say "I was just following drs orders".

We are responsible for what we administer. I know one at least occasion I've called a doctor to clarify doses,etc. In one instance, the doctor thanked me saying that I was correct and that the doseage ordered was wrong.

[passredskins1]

yes..... we just finished a class on it....both the doctor and licensed nurse are both responsible...

there is a similar case on this http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Did+RN+have+duty+to+question+discrepancy+in+discharge+order%3F-a0143063248

it is where a doctor didnt write an order for plavix on a guy in 2006 who had coronary stents placed....the nurse saw the discharge order, and didnt question the absence of plavix..the man went home..coronary stent occluded..he survived and he sued the hosp and the nurse....

[Blackheartednurse]

I would blame this person doctor more because nurses dont presribe meds so in my opinion the person who write prescription is at fault here..I mean how a nurse could have possibly known such and such combination of drugs would kill a certain patient..I mean lets be realistic for a moment....the doctors are the main prescribers and they study the medicine for many years and are generally more educated (or should be) in regards to meds..Sadly,those situations happpen more often then we think..Not while ago I was taking care of a patient with a prescription drugs toxicity.I mean this lady was so bottomed out from her drugs when she came in to the hospital,with unstable blood pressure,chest pain constantly vommitting and it took some time for the doctors to realize no she is not going through aheart attack but basically was bottomed out by the drugs her primary doc presribed to her..She even mention it herself that she told numerous of time her doctor that she is taking too many drugs,scary.

[RNnbakes]

I thought the question was about polypharmacy, when the pt is taking a lot of drugs not just two drugs that are incompatible. What happens then ?

[premedwoahs]

either or --- just who is responsible in the event of death via pharm-error

[llg, PhD, RN]

Not enough information to answer the question. It depends on the specifics of the situation.

For example ... a nurse might not know what other drugs the patient has received in some circumstances.

A physician might not know what other meds the patient is taking in some situations -- if the patient lies about what meds they are on.

It could be the patient's primary fault in some cases.

We need more information to answer the question.

[kcochrane]

I agree, it is hard to answer without more info.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

if I am passing meds and the ordered medications are "off" or something about them just doesn't seem right, or one of the drugs is new to me, you bet your bottom dollar I am looking them up in my drug book to see what they are used for, what the typical dosage is and what it is compatible with. It is our job, as nurses, to advocate for the patient. Part of that is keeping them safe, of which includes our med passes. When in doubt, you call and question the order. Yes, doctors make mistake. To err is human. But why not check to cover both your orifices so that a patient isnt made to suffer?