Nursing homes are often understaffed. The result is that residents in these situations are often neglected. When neglect leads to an injury or death, you and your loved one deserve compensation and deserve justice. The nursing home abuse lawyer Peoria Illinois at Carlson Bier Associates is here to fight for you. Contact us today at 312-622-2900 for a consultation.
The main reason for this is that they have to pay their employees more than many other types of workers in the healthcare industry. However, this doesn’t mean that nursing homes should be understaffed or that residents are at fault for it happening. There are many ways that understaffing affects residents and their families.
Understaffing can lead to injury or death
Understaffing can lead to injury or death. It’s no secret that nursing homes are understaffed. In 2022, 150 of 700 Illinois nursing homes reported being understaffed. What might surprise you is how this affects your loved one’s quality of care. In fact, it may be putting them at risk for injury or even death. When this happens, you will need a nursing home abuse lawyer Peoria Illinois to pursue your personal injury claim.
Understaffing leads to neglect and abuse. When staff members are overworked, they’re less likely to pay attention when they should, including when it comes to making sure residents receive proper nutrition and hydration (and sometimes even medication). This can lead to neglectful practices like not eating or drinking enough water during meals, not getting enough sleep, having poor hygiene, and not taking care of wounds properly. All these things can result in serious injuries such as infections that go untreated until they become life-threatening diseases like sepsis.
Understaffing causes poor quality of care. There are lots of ways staff members might fail their patients. If they are tired out after working double shifts all week long without any breaks whatsoever, it may be difficult for them to maintain a high standard of care. In some dire situations, management may not allow them to take breaks anyway because then there wouldn’t be anyone with the patients. Your loved one deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and nursing home providers need to do everything possible to make that happen.
Staff are overworked when there is a shortage
Staff are often too busy to provide the quality of care residents need. In nursing homes, there is often a lack of staff and resources due to understaffing. When there are fewer people to do the work, long hours and exhaustion cause staff to be derelict of duty.
Additionally, many nurses are underpaid compared with other healthcare professionals like doctors or pharmacists, which can lead them to seek out better opportunities elsewhere if they don’t feel valued at their jobs or if they’re offered higher pay elsewhere. Some facilities may not provide adequate training before placing new hires into important positions like nurse managers or assistant directors. These positions require specific skill sets that could take years off someone’s life expectancy if improperly performed.
When an overworked and underpaid employee is charged with caring for too many nursing home patients, those patients may not receive adequate care. When injury or death result from this type of negligence, you and your loved one may be entitled to compensation.
Residents may have difficulty getting access to the care they need
The residents who still have the ability to get around on their own often find that they can’t make it to their doctor’s appointments. And, if there is a staffing shortage, nurses may not be available to assist them.
If they don’t receive proper care, it could lead to an increase in health problems. Having access to medical professionals is extremely important, especially for the elderly that need additional care. It could be dangerous if they don’t get the attention they need. Contact a nursing home abuse lawyer Peoria Illinois if a loved one has been injured because they have not received proper medical care in a nursing home.
Our nursing home abuse lawyer Peoria Illinois is here to help you
It can be extremely difficult for family members to find out what is really happening with their loved ones at the nursing home. Family members may not be able to get in touch with the staff because they may be too busy, or there may not be enough of them to return calls or respond to messages.
If you suspect your loved one has been injured or abused because of neglect due to understaffing, contact our nursing home abuse lawyer Peoria Illinois to pursue justice. Nursing homes should never be understaffed, and if you’re a resident or a family member of a resident, you should know your rights in case this does happen. Carlson Bier Associates has experience with these types of cases and will work tirelessly to pursue justice for you.