What is the ruling on a nurse mistakenly administering a double dose to a patient who later died?
A medical professional (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) is liable for the consequences of their error in prescribing a medication or its dosage. Three trustworthy doctors must be consulted to determine if the overdose would cause death for a patient like this. If it is proven that it causes death, then the one who erred is liable for diyah (blood money) and kaffarah (expiation).
The diyah is to be paid by the 'aqilah (male paternal relatives) of the one who erred. If they refuse or are poor, then the diyah is on the one who erred himself. As for the kaffarah, it is on the one who erred, and it is fasting for two consecutive months.
The one who erred must be precisely identified, whether it was the doctor, the nurse, or the pharmacist. The one among them who erred is the one who bears the diyah and kaffarah. If there is a causer (such as a doctor who erred in the prescription) and a direct actor (such as a nurse who administered the medicine), and the error was from the causer, and the direct actor was not transgressing, then the liability is on the causer. And Allah knows best.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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