Hospital Chief Takes Responsibility for Medication Error Impacting Toddler

[webfact]

 

The director of a Bangjak, Samut Prakan hospital has assumed accountability for a medication mistake resulting in a one-year-old receiving the incorrect medication, leading to severe complications.

 

The incident surfaced when the child's mother sought help from the "Be Nueang" Facebook page. Unfortunately, hospital staff mistakenly administered the wrong substance instead of the prescribed medication, causing a significant deterioration in the child's health, necessitating emergency admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), reported Daily News.

 

Upon receiving the complaint, the Ministry of Public Health swiftly ordered an investigation. Initial findings indicate a notable failure in the hospital's documentation system, specifically in dental records. As a result, the director has proactively implemented an immediate suspension pending a thorough investigation.

 

The hospital clarified that the medication, TCA or trichloroacetic acid, meant for external use on skin lesions, was mistakenly administered internally to the child. The director attributed the error to a procedural oversight during the medication preparation phase, emphasizing that swift action would be taken if negligence is revealed in the investigation.

 

The province is actively validating information and urging the hospital to fully address the child's medical expenses, highlighting the importance of precise documentation for reimbursement. The director affirmed that appropriate disciplinary measures, including termination, would be implemented if any staff members are found culpable in the investigation.

 

Picture: Daily News

 

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[JoePai]

A Thai accepting responsibility ?????????

[Bangkok Barry]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

The director attributed the error to a procedural oversight inadequate training and/or carelessness during the medication preparation phase

 

There. Corrected it.

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

A Thai accepting responsibility ?????????

 

Probably forced too by the Ministry. The article doesn't say whether the family challenged the hospital first and were fobbed off. I think we can make our own judgement about that because, as you say, a Thai accepting responsibility?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, JoePai said:

A Thai accepting responsibility ?????????

That's new.

[cracker1]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

A Thai accepting responsibility ?????????

That was the headline, but it was not factual.

[Grumpy one]

6 hours ago, JoePai said:

A Thai accepting responsibility ?????????

Who would believe it  

[1duckyboy]

I was trained to check for:

1. Correct patient.

2. Correct time.

3. Correct medication.

4. Correct amount.

5. Correct route of administration.

 

The hospital staff involved in making the medication error should be disciplined or discharged. I hope the child recovers.

 

[JimHuaHin]

Unfortunately, it happens, in many countries.

 

Sometimes it is incompetence, sometimes it is severely overworked medical staff who may have been on duty for 24+ hours without a rest.

 

I am not making excuses; events like this do happen, often due to staff being over worked (as was the case in many public hospitals across the globe during the early years of COVID-19).

 

It is pleasing, at least, in this case that the hospital chief is taking responsibility - a vary rare event.

[RobU]

18 hours ago, 1duckyboy said:

I was trained to check for:

1. Correct patient.

2. Correct time.

3. Correct medication.

4. Correct amount.

5. Correct route of administration.

 

The hospital staff involved in making the medication error should be disciplined or discharged. I hope the child recovers.

 

When I worked as a Registered Nurse the most common reason for a nurse to be struck off was medication error. Often it was due to overwork and mis reading of the prescribing doctor's atrocious handwriting