Indisputably, caring for patients in a nursing home or group home is challenging, demanding and exhausting. Those who choose this line of work — from doctors to nurses to therapists to support personnel — deserve praise. However, these facilities also contain many elements that can lead to wrongful or negligent caregiver practices. These include:
- Overworked staff
- Not enough caregivers
- Chaotic environment
Unfortunately, elderly people in Tennessee and elsewhere in the nation are prone to accidents and injuries. The problem for family members is determining whether a loved one’s mishaps and injuries were purely accidental or caused by medical malpractice. A good first step is learning about the most common nursing home injuries.
Falls: An elderly or ill patient can accidentally fall for many reasons, including weakened muscles and trouble walking. Medical malpractice may be the culprit in a fall if the patient does not receive proper supervision due to outright negligence or a shortage of caregivers.
Medication errors: Most nursing home patients take a large array of different medications. In a chaotic environment, caregivers can make mistakes when dispensing drugs to patients. Even when this happens unintentionally, it still qualifies as medical malpractice.
Bedsores: Pressure ulcers, commonly known as bedsores, often develop in patients that cannot move on their own. Part of the caregiver’s duty is to move immobile patients into different positions on a regular basis to relieve this pressure and prevent sores from developing. If a patient remains in one position too long and bedsores occur, it could be a case of malpractice.
America’s elder citizens deserve quality care, and their families deserve the peace of mind that comes with this care. If you suspect your loved one’s injuries occurred because of medical malpractice, consider taking your concerns to a legal professional that can help you seek a satisfactory remedy.
Source: FindLaw Accident, Injury and Tort Law Blog, “3 Common Nursing Home Injuries,” accessed June 07, 2018