We all want what is best for our parents and to try to give them the love and attention that could even begin to match the care they gave us when we were young. For some people, this may mean putting elderly loved ones in a nursing home, hoping and assuming that they will take better care of our parents than we are able to do at home. Unfortunately, nursing homes often fail to provide a reasonable standard of care an families suffer tremendously as a result.
The Connecticut State Department of Public Health fined four nursing homes after they made errors in taking care of their patients this year.
One nursing home was fined after a resident choked on a three-inch lasagna noodle. The resident’s care plan included directions to monitor the resident while eating and to ensure small bites are taken, but while the aide was helping another person, the resident began choking.
Another nursing home was fined for two separate violations, including a medication error. The resident suffered an accidental overdose after the nurse administered 2.5 cubic centimeters rather than the prescribed 0.25 cubic centimeters. According to the nurse, she was rushing when administering the morphine, she realized when the syringe was larger than usual and she notified a physician.
Another resident who had dementia and had tried to leave the facility a number of times previously was able to leave after a nurse mistook her for a visitor. The aide deactivated an alarm that sounded when the resident exited.
Another nursing home was fined after a resident suffered second-degree burns from a heating pad that the physician did not order and yet another nursing home was fined because the resident had an allergic reaction to food served for a meal. The home had noted the patient’s allergy.
Nursing homes take on the responsibility of taking care of our loved ones when we are unable to. When their neglect leads to personal injuries, then it might be reasonable to consult an experienced attorney for guidance on what one’s options are.
