Avoiding Accusations of Nursing Home Negligence

 Posted on December 28, 2018 in Professional License Defense

Here in the state of Illinois, nursing homes are regulated and monitored by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The IDPH is responsible for disciplining nursing homes in which forms of reckless treatment or negligence has taken place. Even if just one of your employees has acted in a negligent manner, those actions alone could warrant an investigation. If your nursing home is under investigation, it is possible that you could be facing a severe form of disciplinary action, from the IDPH, and you should contact your legal team immediately. Understanding and communicating the most common forms of negligent nursing home behavior, to your staff members, could help you avoid an investigation.

Common Forms of Neglect

Approximately two million elderly Americans claim that they have faced some form of abuse from a caregiver. While nursing home neglect can come in various forms, and even the most minor complaints can lead to an investigation by the IDPH, understanding the most common forms of neglectful or abusive behavior can save you from a costly lawsuit.

Physical Abuse: Overt physical abuse should result in an immediate termination of an employee. From striking or pushing a patient to restraining them with ties to administer medication, any complaints of physical abuse will likely warrant an immediate investigation. Physical abuse from a caregiver can lead to long-term mental and physical health ramifications, and should not be taken lightly.

Verbal Abuse: While verbal abuse can be more difficult to monitor, it is important to speak with your employees about what appropriate conversation looks like with a patient. Working as a nursing-home staff member can be stressful and frustrating, but it is never appropriate to direct disparaging remarks towards a patient. Verbal abuse can range from name-calling to verbal threats.

Sexual Abuse: Tragically, sexual abuse is fairly common in nursing homes throughout the United States. Sexual abuse is defined as any act in which a staff member violates a patient in an unwanted sexual manner. Through non-consensual touching, to forced intercourse, sexual abuse is a very serious offense and could result in severe disciplinary action, if the IDPH is notified.

Neglectful Behavior: Not all IDPH investigations are brought on due to overt abuse, negligent behavior from a staff member can also lead to an investigation. The most common forms of neglectful nursing-home behavior include lack of supervision, improper sanitation of patients, improper administration of medication, and inability to report or recognize symptoms of sickness.

Meet with an Illinois Nursing Home License Defense Attorney

If the negligent actions of an employee lead to an investigation from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), it is important to notify your legal team as quickly as possible. The more time an attorney has to design your defense plan, the less likely you are to face severe disciplinary action. Everyone makes mistakes, and attorney Joseph J. Bogdan is dedicated to ensuring that one mistake does not compromise the livelihood of you and your family. To schedule a meeting with a quality Illinois license defense lawyer, call us today at 630-310-1267.

Source:

 https://ncea.acl.gov/whatwedo/research/statistics.html

https://ncea.acl.gov/whatwedo/research/statistics.html