Latest news with #Paquin
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
B.C. mom picks up her son's ADHD medication, is given an opioid instead
A mother on Vancouver Island is warning people to double check their prescriptions after she was accidentally dispensed the powerful opioid hydromorphone instead of her son's regular ADHD medication. Comox, B.C., resident Sarah Paquin, 31, says she still shudders to think about what could have happened to her nine-year-old son had her husband not noticed the medication looked different before he gave it to him. "It was terrifying," Paquin said, standing in her front yard and playing with one of her three boys. "One simple little mistake like that could have ended horribly." WATCH | 9-year-old dispensed opioid in pharmacy mix-up: Paquin says she didn't think too much of it when she went to pick up her son Declan's medication last week and the staff member at her local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy didn't check her ID or take out the prescription from the bag. The next day, her husband was about to give Declan his medication when he saw the pills were a different colour and shape than normal. Her husband looked at the bottle and noticed the prescription was for someone else, and that it was for hydromorphone. Right away he returned the pills to the pharmacy. "Immediately your mind goes to the worst case scenario," Paquin said. "The results could have been catastrophic and it just makes my heart sink to think about what could have happened." Hydromorphone is a powerful opioid that is two to eight times stronger than morphine and is often used to treat acute pain or chronic cancer pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, it can cause serious unwanted effects or fatal overdose in children. Human error CBC News reached out to Loblaws, the company that owns Shoppers Drug Mart. In a written statement, the company said the incident was a case of "human error" that never should have happened. "We have controls in place to minimize risks like this — where the patient was handed the wrong prescription bag — and the associate will review these with employees to avoid a similar situation in the future," the company said. Paquin says she has since heard from the pharmacist, who was very apologetic. She says he acknowledged that steps were missed and standards were dropped, and told her the employee who dispensed the medication has been suspended pending an internal investigation. Asking for accountability Despite his reassurances, Paquin has filed a complaint with the College of Pharmacists of B.C. "The pharmacy needs to take responsibility, be held accountable for what happened," she said. In an email, the college told CBC News it takes these types of errors very seriously. "We have legal requirements in the Health Professions Act bylaws in place to prevent these occurrences, including mandatory standards for prescription preparation to ensure accuracy of the prescription product and consultations for all prescriptions, to make sure clients understand their medication, how to take it properly, and address any questions," the college said. As part of pharmacists' consultation with clients, they are required to confirm the person's identity, name and the strength and purpose of the drug, it added. In 2023-24, the college says it received a total of 990 concerns through its intake process. Of those, 54 became formal complaints and investigations, 16 of which were medication related. Paquin decided to share her ordeal on social media, to warn others to check their prescription before taking it. "It's scary that it happened to us, but I'm also in a way kind of thankful that it happened to us and we caught it because it could have been given to somebody who didn't notice and got hurt," she said.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Pharmacy hands Comox mom opioid instead of ADHD drugs for child, 9
A Comox couple is warning other parents to double check their children's prescriptions after a pharmacy wrongly dispensed opioids for their nine-year-old instead of ADHD medication. Sarah Paquin, mother of three young children, said the medication mixup could have been catastrophic for her son. 'As a parent, you worry enough as it is, and then to have such a close call like that, it really hits home.' Paquin said she went to the Shopper's Drug Mart pharmacy on Guthrie Road in Comox on May 28 to pick up her son's medication — dextroamphetamine, a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. She said the employee had difficulty finding her son's medication. The employee asked for the boy's name multiple times, and initially couldn't find his name in the system, Paquin said. Once she dispensed the medication, the employee didn't read over the label or confirm information, as is the usual custom, the mom said. The next morning, Paquin's husband, David Paquin, hesitated before giving his son the medication, noting the pills were a different colour. When he checked the label, he saw the drug was the painkiller hydromorphone, which goes by the name Dilaudid. The patient's name on the hydromorphone label was a woman they didn't know. Hydromorphone is about five to seven times more potent than morphine, according to a Canadian Medical Association Journal study. Sarah Paquin said when her husband told her about the error, her heart sank until she realized their son hadn't been given the medication. 'We were like, Oh my God, that was such a close call,' said Paquin. 'It's terrifying. We were very upset about it.' David Paquin dropped his son off at school and went straight back to the pharmacy and spoke to the pharmacist, whom he described as visibly upset and apologetic. She refunded the money paid for the wrong medication, but still couldn't find the correct prescription. The order had to be refilled. The owner of the pharmacy called the couple Wednesday to reassure them their son's medication wasn't given to anyone else, 'which makes me feel a little bit better because on the flip side, I don't want my son's medication to hurt the wrong person either,' said Paquin. She posted her story on a local Facebook page to warn other parents, where she learned of other complaints about the same pharmacy employee, who has been suspended pending an internal investigation. Paquin has also filed a formal complaint with the College of Pharmacists of B.C. and was told by the college it would take about two weeks to investigate and follow up with the family. Paquin said she regretted not double-checking the label, a mistake she said she won't make again. She's warning other parents to exercise the same diligence. A West Shore couple spoke to the Times Colonist in March 2023 after a Langford pharmacy gave their son an oral suspension of sleep medication that was 14 times the prescribed dose. Paquin said she and her husband are unnerved by the 'what ifs' that replay in their minds. 'We could have given him this, sent him off to school not realizing, and he could have overdosed. He could have ended up in a coma and at the very least, probably would have had his stomach pumped.' In a statement, Loblaw, the parent company for Shopper's Drug Mart, called the mistake a case of 'human error' that shouldn't have happened. The company said controls are in place to minimize the risk of patients being handed the wrong prescription, and those controls will be reviewed by employees. The company said the pharmacy owner has reached out to the parents to apologize for any stress the incident caused and to outline corrective steps it's taking. ceharnett@
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Brunswick teacher takes student experiments on Zero-G flight
May 27—Middle schoolers at St. John's Catholic School in Brunswick watched their teacher — and their own experiments — soar aboard a zero-gravity flight earlier this month. Science teacher Karin Paquin was one of eight teachers chosen to fly on a Zero-G plane with the Space for Teachers Embedded Teachers Program. Her most recent flight — which took off from Salina, Kansas, on May 7 — comes amid ongoing efforts to expand space education at the Brunswick Catholic school. Paquin's eighth-grade students worked with the Romero-Calvo Lab at Georgia Institute of Technology to design a "passive phase separation experiment," which tests how air and water separate in microgravity, according to a news release from the school. Her seventh graders sent up a CubeSat — a small satellite — to investigate the effects of microgravity on ambient sound to understand whether researchers aboard Zero-G flights should wear hearing protection. "It was very difficult, but it was worth the long hours of brainstorming, building, testing, modifying and retesting," eighth grader Joseph Stratman said. "Knowing it really worked and could impact microfluids in space makes every minute worth it." Zero-G planes, or reduced-gravity aircraft, simulate the feeling of weightlessness by flying in a parabolic pattern. Such flights are used for astronaut training, research and tourism. Paquin rode alongside other teachers, high school students and retired NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, who flew twice on the Space Shuttle Columbia and spent nearly six months living on the International Space Station. "When I think back on this past year working with Space for Teachers, my students and some incredible collaborators at Georgia Tech, one word comes to mind: transformation," Paquin said. "Throughout the year, my students were challenged in ways they never expected — especially at the middle-school level. But every step of the way, I believed in them. And behind the scenes, supporting me, were the incredible mentors at Space for Teachers who believed in me." This wasn't Paquin's first experience in microgravity; she also flew with students' experiments on a Zero-G flight in 2022 as a part of the Teachers in Space Human Flight Program. "All of a sudden, you just feel weightless," Paquin recalled in an April interview with The Times Record. Students got to watch Paquin from the Zero-G hangar and onboard the aircraft via livestream on May 7. Paquin's science classes over the years have had several experiments onboard space flights, thanks to organizations like Space for Teachers and Teachers in Space. Just last month, another CubeSat designed by St. John's students flew aboard the all-female Blue Origin rocket flight. The St. John's "Launch Lab" allows students to "engage in high-level science with real-world applications," the school said. "The most amazing thing about this program is that not only were my students learning, but so was I," Paquin said. "I was growing into a better teacher, a stronger colleague and a more reflective person because of the opportunities Space for Teachers provided." Copy the Story Link
Winnipeg Free Press
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Veteran forward Karen Paquin returns for Canada's Pacific Four Series title defence
Veteran forward Karen Paquin makes her first Canadian start since the 2021 Rugby World Cup when Canada opens defence of its Pacific Four Series title on Friday against the U.S. in Kansas City. Canada, ranked second in the world, faces the ninth-ranked U.S. at CPKC Stadium before flying to the Southern Hemisphere to play No. 3 New Zealand on May 16 at Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch and No. 6 Australia on May 23 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Paquin took some time away from the sport but is back as the Canadian women start their season, with the World Cup set to kick off Aug. 22 in England. A former chemical engineer, she left her job in 2012 to try out for the national sevens team. Now 37, the flanker from Quebec City has an impressive rugby resume that already includes three World Cups, two Olympics and one Rugby World Cup Sevens. Canada has won the last nine meetings with the U.S., including a 50-7 victory at last year's Pacific Four Series. 'The game against U.S.A. to begin PAC4 is an opportunity for us to continue to build consistency, confidence and depth as we start our journey towards the World Cup later this year,' Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. The matchday 23 features 14 players who play their club rugby in England, four in France and one in New Zealand. Lock Rachel Smith, a three-time Canada West all-star and 2024 U-Sports Rugby 15s Player of the Year with UBC, is set to earn her first cap for Canada. Prop Rori Wood, who earned her first cap for Canada against Ireland last fall, makes her first Canada start. Prop Mikiela Nelson, among the replacements, could earn her first cap since the last World Cup. The Canadian women held a pre-tournament camp in Chula Vista, Calif., with the women's sevens squad joining for a week of combined training ahead of this weekend's HSBC SVNS season finale in May 3-4 in Carson, Calif. Rouet will bolster his squad with Alysha Corrigan, Asia Hogan-Rochester, Florence Symonds, Mahalia Robinson and Olivia Apps from the sevens team for the New Zealand and Australia tests. Canada won last year's Pacific Four Series with its first-ever victory over New Zealand, defeating the defending World Cup champion Black Ferns 22-19 last May in Christchurch. The Canadian women had lost all 17 previous meetings with New Zealand, with 10 of those defeats by 27 points or more. Canada went 5-1-0 in 2024, losing 21-12 last time out to No. 1 England in October at the WXV 1 tournament in Vancouver. In July, the Canadian women head to South Africa for games against the 12th-ranked Springbok women July 5 in Pretoria and July 12 in Gqeberha. Canada will play No. 5 Ireland on Aug. 9 in Belfast in its final World Cup tune-up. The Canadian women have been drawn in a pool with No. 7 Scotland, No. 10 Wales and No. 16 Fiji at the World Cup. The two major injury absences for the Pacific Four Series are captain Sophie de Goede (knee) and Pam Buisa (wrist). The hope is that both will be back for the South Africa tour. Canada Lineup During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Guelph Goats; Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Rachel Smith, South Surrey, B.C., UBC; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Krissy Scurfield, Canmore, Alta., Loughborough Lightning (England); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England); Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Chiefs Manawa (New Zealand); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England). Replacements Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Mikiela Nelson, North Vancouver, B.C., Exeter Chiefs (England); DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Courtney O'Donnell, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Alta., Leicester Tigers (England); Sarah-Maude Lachance, Victoriaville, Que., Stade Bordelais (France); Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England). — This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2025
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Brunswick students sent scientific instrument into space on Blue Origin
Apr. 21—A little piece of Brunswick entered space last week onboard the all-female Blue Origin rocket flight. Partnering with nonprofit Teachers in Space, Karin Paquin's middle school students at St. John's Catholic School designed an experiment that flew on the New Shepherd rocket during the historic launch on April 14. The CubeSat, a type of small satellite, flew with other experiments — including many designed by students — in the payload of the rocket. It had also been on an unmanned flight leading up to the one captained by Lauren Sanchez. Students proposed hypotheses and schematics and selected sensors for the CubeSat. Their experiment measured temperature, UV radiation and other environmental conditions in the cabin as the rocket launched into suborbital space. Fiona Sharp, now a freshman at Brunswick High School, helped design the Blue Origin CubeSat last year when she was in eighth grade at St. John's. She programmed sensors that went into the Blue Origin experiment, including one that measured radiation. "There's really no words to describe it; it was just surreal," Sharp said. "It's crazy to see something that you touched with your own hands and put so much time into fly." St. John's students watched the launch live at school last week. "It was really really cool having something that kids we knew built, and it was on a flight with all of these influential women," said seventh grader Aria Golletti, who didn't work on the Blue Origin experiment but is working on St. John's next space project now. The hands-on experience shows students that "everyone can do science," Paquin said. It was possible through a grant Blue Origin provided to Teachers in Space, she added. "Companies like (Blue Origin) make experiences for my students possible, because this is not something that a teacher or a small school could afford, so that's pretty exciting — companies that put education first, knowing eventually, we're going to have to fill positions," Paquin said. "And so how do you get kids started?" Sharp said her experience in Paquin's class helped solidify her love for science, and taught her the importance of trial and error. "Just because you don't get the results you want back the fist time, you should keep experimenting and maybe try something else," Sharp said. Paquin's science classes over the years have had several experiments onboard space flights. She said that the Maine Space Grant Consortium, Teachers in Space and Space for Teachers have been invaluable resources in helping bring space education to Brunswick and beyond. Work from students at St. John's will also be on board a Zero-G flight in May, on which Paquin will be a passenger. "The coding was tough," said seventh grader Jesse Davis, who worked on the upcoming experiment. "I was not totally sure what I was doing, but with lots of help, I got through." Zero-G planes, or reduced gravity aircrafts, simulate the feeling of weightlessness and are used for astronaut training, research flights and tourism. Paquin went on one such research flight two years ago. "All of a sudden, you just feel weightless," Paquin said about her experience. Some former students have taken their research even further by competing in the University of Southern Maine CubeSat Design Competition. St. John's students Wesley Agnor and Gabriel Grondin placed first in the competition's middle school category last year. Paquin will also lead workshops this summer on space education at the CS Summer of Fun conference in Bangor. Copy the Story Link
