Nursing Home Medication Errors in Arizona

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    Medication error: A preventable mistake. Not every error causes harm, but every error is preventable.
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    Adverse drug event: Any injury caused by a medication, whether or not an error occurred.
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    Expected side effect: A known reaction to a properly administered drug. Facilities sometimes dismiss harmful reactions as “side effects” when the real cause was a prescribing or monitoring failure.

• • Nursing home residents are older, frailer, and more medically complex than other members of the population. Many have diminished organ function, making them vulnerable to incorrect medication or improper doses.
  • Conditions like dementia and stroke-related impairment can make it difficult or impossible for a resident to notice symptoms or advocate for themselves.
  • The average nursing home resident takes seven to ten medications daily. Each additional drug increases the risk of an interaction or error.
  • A mistake that might cause mild discomfort in a younger person can trigger falls, organ damage, hospitalization, or death in a nursing home resident.

• Understaffing that forces nurses to rush through medication passes
• Poor shift-to-shift handoffs leading to missed or duplicated doses
• Transcription errors from handwritten or phoned-in orders
• Failures to reconcile medications after hospital discharge
• Incomplete or inaccurate documentation
• Inadequate training and supervision of medication aides

Federal and Arizona law prohibit using psychotropic drugs as chemical restraints for staff convenience.

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  Sudden confusion, disorientation, or decline in alertness
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  Excessive drowsiness or difficulty waking
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  New or unexplained falls
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  Unexplained bruising or signs of bleeding
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  Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
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  Uncontrolled or undertreated pain
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  Breathing changes
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  Hallucinations, agitation, or sudden behavioral changes
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  Symptoms of abnormal blood sugar
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  Hospitalization shortly after a medication change

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    Complain to the facility. Put it in writing to the director of nursing or administrator. Keep a copy.
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    Contact law enforcement if there is serious harm. If a medication error results in significant injury, hospitalization, or death, report it to local police so it can be properly investigated.
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    File with ADHS. The Arizona Department of Health Services accepts complaints through its Long-Term Care complaint system online, by phone, or by mail.
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    Contact an experienced nursing home abuse attorney. Firms like Solomon & Relihan have spent decades handling nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Arizona. While an investigation is ongoing, experienced legal counsel can help you understand your options, preserve evidence, and point you in the right direction.

• Comprehensive records review (medical records, MARs, physician orders, care plans)
• Staffing analysis, including caregiver-to-resident ratios
• Evaluations from our Independent pharmacy and medical experts
• Review of facility medication management policies
• Family, witness, and staff interviews
• Full damages analysis

The firm represents families throughout Arizona on a contingency-fee basis—no fee unless we recover compensation. Every consultation is free and confidential.