Nursing homes have to keep a lot of prescription drugs on hand for the patients, but these drugs can also be desirable on the black market for recreational use. Nurses and other healthcare workers have to be trusted to administer these drugs properly or else the health of a patient will be endangered.
One worker thought they could sneak drugs out of a facility by substituting similar drugs. The incident happened in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The young worker was arrested for three controlled substance violations. The officials involved in the case state that she was giving people substitute narcotics and keeping the real drugs for her personal use. She also had two outstanding warrants, including one for a felony.
While there are many similar drugs in a class, they cannot be substituted for one another. A paitent may need a specific strength, or have their issues controlled by a specific mechanism of action, to stay healthy. Changing that could make them sick, and that’s not even getting into possible allergic reactions or drug interactions.
If your family member is receiving the wrong medication, especially if it doesn’t match health records, you need to speak up. It could save your loved one’s life. You may also want to consider hiring an elder abuse lawyer for a consultation. Speak with John Foy & Associates for a free consultation about your nursing home abuse situation.