Entrusting your senior loved one to a nursing home can be an emotional decision. Choosing the right facility with good staff is critical. It’s important to understand that negligent hiring and supervision can lead to nursing home abuse which you want to avoid at all costs.
How Negligent Hiring and Poor Supervision Lead to Elder Abuse
Nursing homes are tasked with caring for elder Americans who cannot take care of themselves. However, improperly trained, or supervised staff members can lead to severe neglect and abuse.
Negligent Hiring Practices
It is the responsibility of the nursing home facility to vet nurses and other caregivers properly. If a person provides fake credentials and they cause problems, the nursing home may be liable. Therefore, it’s essential for management to perform a full background check before hiring anyone.
If a staff member with bogus credentials performs CPR on a patient and they die, it is an example of how negligent hiring could lead to abuse. Additionally, if someone without the proper training gives the wrong medicine or improper dosage, it could lead to an emergency situation or death. Someone with a history of mental health or behavioral issues would also be a risky hire for a nursing home.
Improper Supervision
Many facilities are short-staffed, and therefore, a stressed manager or director may make bad decisions in terms of staffing. A couple of examples are:
- Pairing employees who do not get along with specific patients could lead to subpar care or altercations, putting residents at risk.
- Allowing staff to self-supervise could lead to theft, fraud, and the mistreatment or neglect of residents.
- Ignoring reports of abuse between two residents, and then someone gets hurt.
Where to Turn for Help
Even if you vet the nursing home facility before placing your loved one in their care, things could still go wrong. If you suspect neglect or abuse and need help with your case, contact Baron, Herskowitz, and Cohen today for a free consultation. We care deeply about you and your family and want to help.
