This story is getting a lot of play here. Here are the basics:
In short, the unsupervised pharmacy technician, in her second week on the job, wrongly added insulin to an undisclosed number of intravenous nutrient bags prescribed to sick infants.
The feeding bags contained no indication of insulin on their labels. They apparently were not checked by the pharmacist before delivery to the neonatal intensive care unit. They were then administered to the tiny patients by nurses unaware of the insulin within.
Almost immediately, several of the children around the unit hit a dangerous state of hypoglycemia . . .
. . . Four years later, the family copes with what they believe is the tragic outcome. Nicholas suffers from cerebral palsy. He is moderately deaf. His vision is dismal. He can’t stand and needs a walker to toddle around. His intellectual development has been impaired. Meanwhile, his sister, who didn’t receive a tainted feeding bag, is a normal, healthy little girl.
Now, the parents are suing the hospital as well as the pharmacy. The columnist slams MGH for not disclosing the names of the other infants involved. Tough call for MGH – no way I can see them disclosing patient information to the public. The lawsuit was on all the local channels here.
