Posted at: 03/08/2010 5:33 PM | KSAX.com
By: Megan Matthews

Nursing Home Responds to Wrongful Medication Death

WADENA, Minn. - An 82-year-old patient at Fair Oaks Lodge died after an employee accidentally gave her the wrong medication, according to a Minnesota Department of Health investigation.

CEO Joel Beiswenger said this accident is a tragedy and the family of this patient, who's name has not been released, is still struggling with the loss.

"It was just one of those things that happened. Nobody intended to do anything, and it was the human making the tragic error," Beiswenger said.

An employee accidentally gave the Alzheimer patient another patient's medicine on June 1, 2009. The mistake caused a drop in blood pressure, and the woman was taken to the hospital where she died six days later in intensive care.

"Something obviously this significant has never happened to us before...in terms of a patient reacting to the point of a death. That's the first time this has ever happened in this facility and hopefully the last," Beiswenger said.

The same medicine mistake has happened before; twice to two other patients, which means the nursing home made three significant medication errors from May 27 to June 12, 2009.

"We've got 75 residents and again it was just a human error," Beiswenger said.

The other two patients survived, but the state held Fair Oaks Lodge responsible for neglect, and the nursing home had to improve their procedures and be audited.

"We have verified that our systems are working as they're intended to and the staff is fully trained and up to speed on everything they should do," Beiswenger said.

The employee who made the deadly mistake was punished, re-trained but no longer works at the home. Beiswenger said residents and their families have no cause for concern.

"We passed with flying colors. We had 100 percent compliance rate with our medication administration," he explained.

The 82-year-old woman's family is still struggling.

"They're struggling as anyone might expect. They're going through the grief cycle, and it's still fresh in their minds," Beiswenger said.

Fair Oaks Lodges is working on reaching a settlement with the patient's family. He doesn't expect any legal charges, and the nursing home is now in compliance with all federal laws, according to Minnesota Department of Health.

Written for the web by Megan Matthews

megan@ksax.com