Negligent Hiring and How It Can Lead To Nursing Home Abuse

We rely on nursing homes to care for our elderly loved ones when we cannot. These facilities are expected to provide a safe and nurturing environment for residents to live in during their golden years. Nursing home staff should be understanding, accommodating, and have the necessary skills to provide quality care for residents. Unfortunately, some nursing homes fail to provide the care they promise, resulting in residents being neglected, mistreated, and even abused.

Negligent hiring is hiring employees without conducting appropriate background checks or verifying their qualifications. This can lead to hiring staff members with a history of violence, substance abuse, or other issues that may make them unfit for working in a nursing home. When nursing homes fail to conduct proper background checks, they put their residents at risk. This goes deeper than most people realize, so we will discuss the details in this article.

Negligent Hiring Leading to Abuse

There have been numerous cases of negligent hiring leading to nursing home abuse. For one, staff members with histories of anger issues attacking residents are hired without proper screening. These incidents can result in physical injuries, emotional trauma, and even death. In some cases, nursing home staff members have been found guilty of sexual assault, which can have devastating effects on the victim’s mental health.

Another example is a staff member with an expired license or certification who continues to provide care to residents. This can result in medical errors and mistakes that can be deadly. On a related note, negligently hiring a staff member with a fraudulent degree must never be done, especially if they are performing medical assistance, since it can result in the resident’s death.

Negligent Supervision

Staff members are not the only ones who are negligent. The facility is complicit in the abuse if they fail to supervise and manage their staff properly. Negligent supervision occurs when a nursing home fails to provide adequate training and supervision to staff members. This can result in staff members not knowing how to properly care for residents, leading to medical errors, medication mistakes, and poor care.

Examples of Negligent Supervision

One example of negligent supervision is when the facility’s administrator knows that a particular staff member and resident don’t get along but still assigns the staff member to said patient. This can result in the resident being mistreated or even physically abused, which the facility could be liable for.

Sexual assault is also possible, especially if it’s between residents. If the administrator or any other staff member knows that a patient is making inappropriate advances toward another resident and fails to take any action to prevent it, the facility could be held liable for negligent supervision.

Another example of negligent supervision is failing to train staff members to handle medical emergencies properly. If a resident has a medical emergency and the staff member on duty does not know how to respond appropriately, this could result in serious harm or even death for the resident.

Theft is also possible in cases where the facility’s higher-ups may know about residents’ belongings going missing. If they know that a particular staff member is assigned to said patient and has access to their belongings but fails to take any action to prevent theft or investigate the issue, the facility could be held liable for negligent supervision.

Working with a Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

If you suspect your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse, you must take action. Working with a nursing home abuse lawyer can help you hold the nursing home accountable for their actions. An experienced lawyer can help you gather evidence, file a claim, and fight for your loved one’s rights.

You can also contact your state’s long-term care ombudsman program, which advocates for and protects the rights of nursing home residents. They can investigate complaints and work with facilities to improve the quality of care.

Conclusion

Negligent hiring and supervision in nursing homes can seriously harm residents. You must act quickly in nursing home abuse cases, as evidence can be lost or destroyed over time. By working with a lawyer and other resources, you can ensure that your loved one gets the justice they deserve and that the nursing home is held accountable and takes steps to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

If you’re looking for nursing home abuse lawyers, Bosie, Reilly, & Oh can help! We understand that any legal situation can be stressful, so our legal professionals will ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Call (602) 851-9898 today and let us help you!