Nursing Home Resident Dies Following Coumadin Overdose

I have been in various nursing administration positions from Head Nurse through Director of Nursing both in skill nursing facilities and acute care hospitals. I have had many patients on Coumadin. Monitoring and titrating this drug is very important in order to ensure that the correct dose is given each day. PT/INR values tend to fluctuate each day therefore it is of extreme importance to have the blood draw as ordered. Nursing notes are to be reflective of the patient situation. All changes, progress, lack of progress and status quo must be documented. The notes are a vital communication to the team that cares for the patient. I have worked in clinical practice for many years, taught in in-service education, and in academic education. During all of this time, patient safety and positive outcomes for the patient and family have been my main concern and focus. I have taught this concept to hundreds of nurses and still teach it today.

Expert Bio

This highly qualified nurse has been practicing for over 40 years. She has a BS in Nursing from Lehman College and an MA, Med and EdD in Nursing Administration from Columbia University. She has authored publications in the Journal of Nursing Administration, Nursing Clinics of North America, Clinical Nurse Specialist, and the Quality Review Bulletin. Previously, she was an Associate Director of Nursing at Bellevue Hospital Center. She now serves as an adjunct lecturer at a New York City medical college and a Staff Development Coordinator at a medical center in the Bronx.