On behalf of Hastings Law Firm posted in Hospital Negligence on Thursday, March 20, 2014.

An insulin pen that was intended for home use is at the center of a scary case of misusing a medical device. Reportedly, some nurses at hospitals across America reused insulin pens for multiple patients when they were only ever intended for single-person use. One Texas hospital demonstrated this level of hospital negligence with the insulin pen back in 2009.

While the insulin pen does contain multiple doses in a reservoir, it was never intended to be used in hospitals. It was pointed out that nurses used new, clean needles when using the pen on different patients. However, the concern involves a bit of back-flow of insulin and possibly blood into the pen’s reservoir after use on a patient.

A New York hospital has recently had to notify thousands of patients who may have been unwittingly exposed to serious diseases such as HIV or various forms of hepatitis after the pen was used for more than one patient. The 2009 Texas incident reported that nearly a quarter of the nurses at the hospital improperly used the pen while administering insulin to patients. Apparently, the pen should have been labeled for each individual patient’s use.

The hospital embroiled in the most recent misuse of the pen has offered free blood screenings to rule out any possible infections. In Texas, hospital negligence that has resulted in the improper use of this medical device may have seriously harmed some patients. For those who may have contracted a serious disease such as HIV or Hepatitis after a nurse or doctor’s misuse of an insulin pen or other medical device, filing a medical malpractice claim may be the first step toward a sense of justice and peace. Furthermore, if the claim of injury is found to be substantial, any financial recourse can help to settle any medical bills incurred due to the malpractice, and this may also help ease lingering pain and suffering.

Source: guardianlv.com, HIV and Hepatitis Testing for Insulin Pen Misuse, Dony Lugo, March 13, 2014