61. 1. There was no 'mislabeling' of the meds. There was a gross MISReading of the label by the RN.
2. Which leads to problem #3: Most NICU's in America have most, sometimes all, of the necessary lighting turned off/dimmed/blunted due to some vague 'developmental theorist' named Heidelise Als, founder of the NIDCAP program at Harvard. This lady has hoodwinked every neonatal unit in America into turning off all the lights in the NICU's; safety be damned. She is not a licensed physician or licensed RN, but a Phd who talked her way into Harvard's NICU to experiment on your infant. NICU RN's throughout the U.S. cannot see what they are doing in the darkend units. And yes, they're drawing up meds, morphine, heparin, digoxin, and other toxic meds without adequate lighting in the NICU. Nice.

Medication errors do not happen in repeated cadences and clustered events such as Quaid's babies(2). Another situation is at fault here, just like the 4 NICU infant's killed in Indianapolis due to heparin overdoses; something in the workplace is interfering with safe delivery of care; ie: inadequate light, RN's being mandated to work in the dark. Very simple stuff.

The parents and attorney's need to investigage the llighting situation that was in effect at the time of the errors; and sue the hell out of Harvard's PHD experimenter. And yes, there will be more heparin OD's to come in an NICU near you. Mark my word.

Next time your infant is in an NICU; demand that the nurses work with adequate lighting.

Good luck to the Quaids; good to know all turned out OK; this time.

Posted at 11:29PM on Mar 17th 2008 by 23 YEAR NICU RN

62. I am with Mr. Quaid--the manufacturer was the root of the problem, and should pay. Safety should be the primary goal of all people in the medical field, and when they have received multiple requests for a change of the labels from the people who use them, they are not doing their part! And I am certain that the poor nurse has been counseled and made to work with a proctor, and to prove that she double checks her dangerous drugs, and lost a lot of sleep, And may never be the same person again. I am certain that , however privately they did so, the hospital would have fired the nurse if any thing permanent had happened to those children. I imagine that the pharmacy tech and the pharmacist involved have been through some sort of review process. And, just so it gets said, it is not only the nurses being asked to do more work in less time than is safe--every employee group in a hospital these days is overworked and underpaid, except those who do not provide direct patient services, and there is usually too many of them in proportion to the working staff!!!

Posted at 11:36PM on Mar 17th 2008 by KathySue

63. it's unfair to keep info in a secret

Posted at 8:37AM on Mar 18th 2008 by karina

64. the sole responsibility is the that of the medical staff. i have used heparin and you have to be an IDIOT to get the labels mixed up. he should sue the hospital and he can sue baxter all he wants i doubt he gets anywhere.

Posted at 11:53AM on Mar 18th 2008 by anon

65. The medication was NOT mislabeled...The wrong dose was given which is the NURSES FAULT. It should be verified several times prior to being given. As the employer of the nurse the hospital is at fault. HOWEVER, in most states the R.N., who administered the medication is required to carry mal practice insurance and can be held liable also as an individual. The manufactor was not at fault in this instance b/c it was NOT mislabled

Posted at 2:33PM on Mar 19th 2008 by judy

66. He didn't sue Cedars because of the MICRA limits. I though a real lawyer ran this site. Oh, now I remember, Harvey Levin is only a pretend lawyer on TV.

Posted at 7:56PM on Mar 27th 2008 by bfd lawyer

67. He should absolutely sue

Posted at 3:21PM on Apr 5th 2008 by fox