Josie’s story is about the hazards of miscommunication in hospitals and the journey of a mother to becoming a national patient advocate with the establishment of the Josie King Foundation. Being a mother of four children is a full-time job, especially when moving to a new house. The house was old and needed repairs so the family ensued on a renovation of the place. The children’s grandmother came for a surprise visit one day. As the grandmother bathed in the only working bathtub, Josie brought her, her favorite bath toy, a plane. Later that evening when everyone was downstairs playing, the older children decided to go upstairs and Josie followed suit. Then a piercing shriek came through the house and the mothers blood ran cold. She ran upstairs
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Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). Josie died of dehydration and an overdose of methadone. Earlier that day a verbal order was given to discontinue the use of methadone, but the miscommunication between departments was a deadly mistake. Josie’s mother was concerned with how Josie was looking and tried to stop the nurse from administrating the dose of methadone. (King, p. 48). Josie received the oral solution which is a schedule II drug. This drug needs to be monitored closely, especially in children. From my readings on scholarly sites I have found that methadone is used as a substitute for opioids. Methadone is used for those who are addicted to opiates. They are monitored closely by doctors. Josie was on morphine a powerful pain suppressant opioid and she needed to be weaned off. Josie’s mother later received this letter from a Johns Hopkins doctor:
Dear …show more content…
The death rate from overdose in 2009 alone was 5.5 times higher than it was in 1999 (Center for Disease Control, 2015). Per the Center for Disease Control (2015), the death rate for methadone is still significantly higher than that of any other opioid. The risk of using methadone over long periods of time is the accumulation of toxic levels which can lead to severe respiratory depression and in the case of the book cardiac arrest and death (Center for Disease Control, 2015). The research that I have done shows that methadone is being over prescribed and mainly for just daily aches and pains. This is leading to the misuse of the drug and the high rates of
Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). Josie died of dehydration and an overdose of methadone. Earlier that day a verbal order was given to discontinue the use of methadone, but the miscommunication between departments was a deadly mistake. Josie’s mother was concerned with how Josie was looking and tried to stop the nurse from administrating the dose of methadone. (King, p. 48). Josie received the oral solution which is a schedule II drug. This drug needs to be monitored closely, especially in children. From my readings on scholarly sites I have found that methadone is used as a substitute for opioids. Methadone is used for those who are addicted to opiates. They are monitored closely by doctors. Josie was on morphine a powerful pain suppressant opioid and she needed to be weaned off. Josie’s mother later received this letter from a Johns Hopkins doctor:
Dear …show more content…
The death rate from overdose in 2009 alone was 5.5 times higher than it was in 1999 (Center for Disease Control, 2015). Per the Center for Disease Control (2015), the death rate for methadone is still significantly higher than that of any other opioid. The risk of using methadone over long periods of time is the accumulation of toxic levels which can lead to severe respiratory depression and in the case of the book cardiac arrest and death (Center for Disease Control, 2015). The research that I have done shows that methadone is being over prescribed and mainly for just daily aches and pains. This is leading to the misuse of the drug and the high rates of