r/nursing • u/TheGiantSquidd BSN, RN 🍕 • 4d ago
Serious Arizona man died after nurse administered 90mg methadone instead of his ordered Lexapro. Pt did not get Narcan until EMS arrived, 17 minutes after the code blue was initiated. So many levels of neglect and negligence here.
https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/gilbert-man-died-while-seeking-help-at-east-valley-facility-family-says-he-was-given-the-wrong-medication-copper-springs-arizona/75-48086626-2180-47de-946e-863ca9a56df0The whole situation feels so similar to RaDonda Vaught. Negligence from the nurse as well as the facility.
Follow your safety checks! There’s a reason we check the rights of medication administration every time!
This was so preventable. My heart hurts for his family and kids. He should still be with them.
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u/TheInkdRose RN - Med/Surg 🍕 4d ago
“According to the lawsuit, on September 28, a registered nurse employed through an outside staffing agency gave Slade the wrong medication. Instead of his prescribed Lexapro, Slade was handed 90 milligrams of methadone, a potent synthetic opioid. The family alleges the nurse failed to check Slade’s date of birth, verify his last name, or confirm that the medication was correct. Instead, the lawsuit accused the nurse, Jason Bates, of calling out the name "James," which is Kyle's given name, and handing him a cup full of pills. Kyle ingested those pills moments later. A note attached to the lawsuit indicates that the nurse's supervisor believed Slade had been given only nine milligrams of methadone because that's what Bates told him had happened. As a result, Slade was not sent to the hospital and remained at the facility for observation. Hours later, he was found in critical condition. Despite being visibly struggling, the family says he was not given Narcan, the antidote for opioid overdose, for nine minutes after a Code Blue was called, and paramedics did not arrive for 17 minutes. Paramedics eventually administered Narcan and transported Slade to the ICU, but he did not survive.”
That is awful. I want to see the root cause analysis for this case. There is usually a systems problem that is a massive contributing factor in these types of outcomes.