Staff at the pediatric intensive care unit mixed up medications and a newly operated infant suffered a cardiac arrest. The incident at Skåne University Hospital in Lund is now being reported according to the Lex Maria regulations, reports Sydsvenskan.
The child had undergone heart surgery and was receiving several different medications through infusion pumps. Due to impaired circulation, the child was supposed to receive a substance that helps the body absorb nutrients, but instead received potassium, which caused a severe disturbance of the heart rhythm.
The cause, according to the hospital, was inadequate medication routines. The child could be stabilized thanks to immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and treatment with medications.
