Why Nursing Home Injuries May be Caused by Nursing Home Understaffing in Oregon

Understanding That Nursing Home Injuries May be Caused by Nursing Home Understaffing: Oregon Nursing Home Malpractice Lawyer

 

Placing a loved one into a nursing home is a difficult decision.  It marks the point where a family admits that they can no longer care for a loved one anymore to the level that they need.  It signifies that a loved one may be deteriorating in health and need professional medical staff to care or treat them.  It also means that a family may have emotional and financial burdens that come with the inability to see loved ones but the high cost of nursing home care.  Most of this cost is due to the staffing issues which costs a lot of extra money in the budget and usually account for the highest costs.  This is particularly true in Oregon, where nursing home staff is very important to keep skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other rehabilitation centers operating at full capacity.  

 

Unfortunately, some nursing home administrators think it is okay to have less staff than necessary.  In fact, some nursing homes will even cut staff to dangerously low levels, including on the weekends or off-peak hours.  This is against federal regulations.  When nursing homes were randomly and surprise-checked by federal inspectors, approximately 70% of all nursing homes had lower than reported staffing levels—particularly on weekends.  This is dangerous and can result in serious personal injuries to nursing home residents.

 

Dangers of Understaffing at Nursing Homes in Oregon

 

There are many reasons why understaffing at nursing homes in Oregon could be dangerous for residents.  These dangers can usually be mitigated or almost entirely avoided with proper care and treatment of residents.  This means that residents could really be well-taken care of if they get the right amount of monitoring and supervision that is required under federal and Oregon state laws and regulations.

 

Some of the most common dangers and injuries caused to residents as a result of nursing home understaffing include the following:

 

• Wandering and eloping risks – a resident who is caused to wander and elope could suffer serious personal injuries by falling, tripping, or otherwise suffering injuries due to the unnecessary walking and wandering.  Residents could also walk into dangerous areas such as outside into roads, near fireplaces or fire pits, or into mechanical rooms which could cause serious injuries.  Some individuals who are wandering and elopement risks could also wander into the forest or into the woods which could result in serious injury, exposure to the elements, drowning in lakes/ponds, or even cause them to be lost.
• Falls and fractures – the less supervision and staffing in a nursing home means that there is less help such as walking to bathrooms, showering help, or getting food.  This can result in more independent actions by residents who really need assistance.  As a result, residents could be more likely to suffer serious injuries caused by falls.
• Medication errors – when there is less staff around it could result in more issues with medications, including falling to provide them to residents on a timely schedule, overdosing, mixing up medications, or mixing up residents.  This could result in serious personal injuries.
• Improper trach tube care – residents who rely on a trach to breath need it to be constantly inspected, cleaned, and in proper working order.  When there is less staff to check on residents, that means that there are less people checking on a trach tube and cleaning it.
• Poor hygiene – some residents may need more hygiene help than others.  When there is less staff, that means hygienic care could be less than needed, including less frequent checks or quicker cleaning.
• Less emergency help – if a resident is having a medical emergency such as choking, a heart attack, stroke, or having breathing problems, the less staff that are there to monitor and identify these issues means that there is a higher chance that residents could suffer serious and more dangerous or deadly injuries in an emergency.

If Your Loved One Suffered Any Injuries in a Nursing Home in Oregon, It Could Have Been Due to Understaffing

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of nursing home abuse or neglect contact the Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.  

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take Nursing Home Abuse cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

 

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.