Nurses at St. Luke's University Health Network in Lehigh Valley, Pa., administered medication overdoses through infusion pumps to two patients in February and March, according to a Morning Call report.
The events are particularly alarming, as hospital staff had recently undergone education following a separate pump overdose last year, which the state Department of Health deemed a "continuing deficiency." In last year's case, a man using a self-controlled pump overdosed on pain medicine and died in October.
The most recent incidents involved automated pumps, and in both cases nurses programmed the pumps to deliver incorrect doses of Heparin and Propofol. St. Luke's swiftly implemented corrective action, which includes again educating staff members on infusion pumps and medication.
Correction: A previous version of this story suggested that the overdoses led to fatalities. Deaths did not occur in either case. Becker's Hospital Review regrets this error.
The events are particularly alarming, as hospital staff had recently undergone education following a separate pump overdose last year, which the state Department of Health deemed a "continuing deficiency." In last year's case, a man using a self-controlled pump overdosed on pain medicine and died in October.
The most recent incidents involved automated pumps, and in both cases nurses programmed the pumps to deliver incorrect doses of Heparin and Propofol. St. Luke's swiftly implemented corrective action, which includes again educating staff members on infusion pumps and medication.
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APIC, SHEA Partner With HHS For Partnership in Prevention AwardCorrection: A previous version of this story suggested that the overdoses led to fatalities. Deaths did not occur in either case. Becker's Hospital Review regrets this error.