How Can Understaffing Lead to Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect?

 Posted on December 18, 2020 in Personal Injury

Many elderly Americans and others who have disabilities or health concerns reside in nursing homes. They may do so because they cannot fully care for themselves or because their family members cannot take on the responsibility of providing for their needs. While many facilities provide quality care, there are far too many cases in which residents suffer from nursing home abuse or neglect. In many cases, injuries to nursing home patients occur because of understaffing. The family members of those who have been injured will want to work with a personal injury attorney to determine whether a nursing home can be held responsible for negligence related to staffing.

Nursing Home Injuries Caused by Inadequate Supervision and Care

Staff members at nursing homes should have the proper training that will allow them to provide care to residents. However, many nursing homes struggle to maintain adequate staff levels due to a shortage of qualified workers, or they may be unable to retain staff members because of the long hours and demanding work that is required, as well as what is often inadequate pay. Because of this, a nursing home may only have a minimal number of licensed nurses on staff, and other staff members may not have received the training necessary to meet the needs of elderly residents.

If a nursing home does not have enough staff members, or if its staff is not properly trained, residents may not receive the supervision they need to attend to their concerns. This can lead to serious injuries due to neglect, such as bedsores, malnutrition, or dehydration. A lack of supervision can also result in fall injuries for patients who do not receive the proper assistance getting into or out of bed or who wander inside or outside of a nursing home without being protected from harm. Without proper monitoring, residents may also be subject to abuse by staff members or other residents.

A lack of properly trained staff members can also result in patients suffering harm due to inadequate or improper care. Patients may not receive the proper medications, or failure to follow a meal plan may mean that their nutritional needs are not being met. Staff members without medical training may fail to recognize serious health conditions and ensure that residents receive the treatment they need.

Contact Our Kane County Nursing Home Negligence Attorneys

If your loved one has suffered an injury as a resident at a nursing home, the attorneys of Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, PC can help you determine whether this occurred because of negligence by the facility or its staff members. We will review personnel records and other information to find out whether the nursing home was understaffed or employed staff members who did not have the necessary training to provide for your loved one’s needs. We will work to make sure those who were responsible for the harm your family has suffered are held liable for their negligence. Contact our Aurora nursing home neglect lawyers today at 630-907-0909 to arrange your free consultation and learn how we can help with your case.

Sources:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/most-nursing-homes-are-not-adequately-staffed-new-federal-data-says

https://theconsumervoice.org/betterstaffing