Nursing Home Staff Safety Critical to Resident Safety
The safety of older adults residing in a nursing home is a matter of concern for their family members. It is because of this reason that people are unable to find a suitable nursing home or assisted living facilities easily. In the United States, more than 1.5 million people above the age of 65 live in a nursing home due to personal or medical reasons. Keeping this in mind, it is important to learn more about their safety in case of a personal injury endured because of the negligence shown by the nursing staff. The following two questions will help you understand this matter aptly: How safe are seniors in a nursing home? It is an unfortunate reality that older adults who live in a nursing home often face safety issues. This is mainly due to the carelessness of the nursing staff members. However, there are a number of reputed nursing homes and assisted living facilities that follow strict safety protocols within the premises. For this purpose, the following factors are taken into account: Ensuring Safe Patient Transfer When a resident is supposed to be transferred to a hospital in case of a medical emergency, the nursing staff needs to take utmost care and precaution. During this transfer, the safety of the resident is in the hands of the nurses. If an accident or mishap takes place, they will be held responsible. Handling Medical Equipment Properly From a simple blood pressure machine to a high-end wheelchair, the nursing staff must have expertise in operating every medical equipment needed for the care of older adults. In case a resident gets hurt due to mishandling of these instruments, then compensation can be asked for current and future medical bills and care. Maintenance of the Nursing Home A nursing home should be well-maintained in order to provide maximum comfort and security to older adults. It is imperative to have a fire alarm system in place along with safe electric wiring. Injuries caused due to an unsafe environment within the premises of a nursing home are the responsibility of the owners. Hiring Authorized Personnel Safety standards at a nursing home can be ensured only when authorized nursing staff members are hired by the property owners. Background checks and proper documents are essential for every staff member. An individual with a history of physical abuse and/or prison record must not be hired for the care of residents at a nursing home. What are the factors to ensure their safety? A nursing home for older adults is a safe place when it follows state and federal guidelines properly. In some cases, nursing staff members do not pay attention to residents’ safety concerns that result in serious injuries and accidents. In such a scenario, a personal injury attorney should be consulted to get the right guidance for filing a lawsuit against the nursing home. Mentioned below are some of the most important safety rules that must be followed at a well-established nursing home: Fall Prevention The most common issue faced by older adults is falling in a nursing home. When the nursing staff is not paying attention to a resident, the chances of falling from a bed, wheelchair, walker, etc., are very high. It is because of this reason that fall prevention is taken very seriously at a nursing home. Medication Protocols The right amount of dosage must be provided to every nursing home resident at a fixed time as prescribed by their medical practitioners. Overdosing and incorrect medicines are some examples of negligence that can lead to adverse effects on an aging person. Thus, medication protocols must be always followed. Infection Control The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided several tool kits, guidelines, and other forms of literature on infection control, especially for nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Training sessions must be provided to nursing staff members to safeguard the residents from communicable infections such as COVID-19, swine flu, dengue, and the like. Security Measures People who are residing in a nursing home must be given a secure environment to live in peacefully. CCTV surveillance and security personnel must be deployed within the premises. A personal injury from an abusive nursing staff member, unruly resident, or any other dangerous person can be a viable cause for a lawsuit. In case you know someone, who has faced this legal issue, they can reach out to our personal injury experts at Siler & Ingber on 516-294-2666.
Who Can File a Lawsuit Against a Nursing Home in New York?
Nursing homes are established for the sole purpose of providing high-quality medical attention and care to the elderly who are unable to take care of themselves due to various reasons. However, there have been instances where emotional or physical neglect by the nursing home staff has hampered the health of the individual. If such a situation arises, the nursing home should be held liable for their negligence. Hire a nursing home abuse lawyer to help. With more than 100,000 elderly patients residing in nursing homes in New York, it is important to understand the causes of neglect and how to proceed in cases of negligence. Largely, nursing home abuse can be categorized as physical, emotional, financial or sexual. Some of the common causes of nursing home abuse and negligence are: Falls: Elderly and those in need of special medical care and attention are more prone to falls and fractures as their mobility is often compromised due to age-related and other medical issues. Hence, it is the responsibility of the nursing home staff to provide adequate care. Medication errors: People in need of medical care are often unable to track or correctly take their medication, hence, the nursing home staff is responsible to ensure that the patient takes the right medicine on time. Failure to provide medication is a sign of negligence. Wrongful death: In extreme cases, medical negligence by the staff can also lead to the death of the nursing home resident. This is termed as wrongful death. Other abuse: In addition to medical negligence, the residents may also fall prey to physical, sexual, or mental abuse. The nursing home must be held liable. If someone in a nursing home has faced negligence that has led to any type of injury or distress, they’re owed a compensation by the nursing home. It is recommended to hire A nursing home negligence lawyer to handle such situations of neglect and abuse. Most often, the following types of cases are filed against a nursing home in case of neglect and abuse: Personal injury: The patient or their loved one often file a personal injury claim against the nursing home. Medical malpractice: The patient or the loved one may file a claim against the nursing staff / doctor for medical malpractice. Neglect: Neglect is a common legal claim related to nursing home negligence. If the staff failed to follow standard procedures, they may be sued for negligence. Since it is often the elderly in need of medical care who is at the bitter end of abuse and neglect, they may not be in the best physical or mental state to file for compensation. It often falls in the hands of the next of kin, such as spouse, children, etc. to proceed and ensure that their loved one receives due compensation for the distress caused due to the negligence. It is best to work with a nursing home abuse lawyer to ensure that you’re compensated beyond the medical costs incurred. They will file a holistic claim which to cover the physical, mental and emotional trauma caused. If you or someone you know has been abused or neglected in a nursing home and needs a nursing home negligence lawyer, contact us today. Reach out to Siler & Ingber by either calling us on 1-877-529-4343 or completing our online form on this page to schedule a free consultation and case evaluation with one of our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers.
