When the C Family's twins were two weeks old, they developed staph infections.  Treatment of a staph infection includes administration of IV Heparin, a blood thinner.  Unfortunately, the pharmacy techs had delivered the adult concentration of Heparin to the pediatric unit, and the twins were given a dosage 1,000 times stronger than appropriate for their size and weight.  Two doses were administered, eight hours apart, before medical personnel realized the error. 

When the parents called to check on their babies that evening, they were told the twins were fine, even though the hospital had already begun treating them for a Heparin overdose.   The parents were not made aware of their children's conditions until the next morning when they arrived at the hospital and were greeted by the risk management team. 

Once the twins had recovered, the C Family filed suit against the hospital and staff. 

Following APA guidelines, include a minimum of one scholarly resource as a reference, with no more than ten percent (10%) of your essay reflecting directly quoted material. 

• Analyze the situation and conclude whether the grounds of the lawsuit should be malpractice and/or negligence or both.  In justifying your reasoning, describe what elements of the scenario led you to your conclusion.
• Describe which ethical principle(s) was/were not met by the providers in this scenario. 

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Analysis of the Situation 1 Malpractice andor Negligence The situation described involves a serious medication error that resulted in the administrati... View the full answer