US Senate issues nursing negligence report

On Behalf of | Jun 19, 2019 | Nursing Negligence |

Many Oregon residents are currently living in nursing homes. Full-assistance service is a valuable commodity for elders who can no longer function independently, and also for many people who are perhaps recovering from automobile accidents or surgeries and are unable to take care of themselves but not able to stay in the hospital. Regardless of what issues have prompted a particular person to wind up in a nursing facility, he or she should never have to be worried about nursing negligence; however, data shows it is a serious concern in this state and throughout the country.

Representatives from another state issued a report that lists numbers close to 400 regarding nursing facilities that have been cited for having persistent substandard care problems. Sadly, issues in some full-assistance centers have led to fatalities. For instance, a man in one nursing home reportedly told staff members he needed medical assistance, but they did nothing. He called 911 himself but died soon after arriving at the hospital.

In another facility, devices used to measure patients’ blood sugar were not being cleaned in between uses. This, of course, was placing patients at great risk for serious, if not fatal, infections. Still another nursing home is said to have had a drainage problem, with black, smelly gook oozing out of the drain and onto the kitchen floor; yet, staff members were still cooking and serving food from the kitchen.

There are often signs that nursing negligence is occurring, such as unexplained injuries on a resident’s body, a disheveled personal appearance or living environment that appears unclean. If an adult child or other family member of a nursing home resident in Oregon suspects that his or her loved one has fallen victim to nursing negligence, this definitely warrants further investigation. A first logical step to take is to speak with an attorney who is well-versed in elder law and medical malpractice litigation.