Negligent Hiring or Training in Maryland Nursing Homes
Entrusting your aging loved one to a nursing home comes with the expectation that the staff will be well-trained, qualified and prepared to provide, at the bare minimum, adequate care that complies with the accepted medical standard for nursing homes.
Unfortunately, many nursing home facilities fall short of this expectation, and patients are injured and even die as a result of the home’s negligence.
If you or your loved one suffered injury or experienced exacerbated illnesses or health conditions as a result of negligent hiring or training in a Maryland nursing home, a Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect attorney can help determine what happened, and who may be responsible.
Maryland Nursing Home Duties
Nursing homes are tasked with providing proper care of their residents, including meeting their medical, psychological, and social needs. They have a duty to comply with both state and federal laws protecting nursing home residents.
But, even when the court determines a nursing home facility has not technically broken the law, they may still be on the hook for compensating injured patients or their families for negligence.
State and Federal Requirements for Staff in Maryland Nursing Homes
The Federal Nursing Home Reform Act established a nursing home residents’ Bill of Rights, as well as numerous requirements for nursing home care, which implicates the need for adequate training and hiring practices for nursing home staff.
In determining whether a nursing home is liable for injury, a court may consider, for instance, whether the nursing home:
- Conducts proper background and reference checks on staff
- Provides proper training, including accident and fall avoidance
- Does not under-staff the facility or require lower-level staff to carry out duties for which they are unqualified, such as nursing duties
- Ensures staff are familiar with guidelines for things like nutrition, fluid intake and hydration, toileting, bathing, and hygiene
- Trains staff in maintaining and respecting residents’ dignity
- Adheres to state guidelines on staff dispensing, storing, documenting and administering medications
Regardless of what type of injury or illness a nursing home resident experiences, a skilled Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer can help families evaluate whether negligent hiring or training took place in a Maryland nursing home.
Types of Abuse and Neglect at the Hands of Maryland Nursing Home Staff
Many staff members at Maryland nursing home facilities truly care about their residents’ wellbeing. Abuse and neglect does occur, though, often due to poor training and bad hiring practices. Staff members may engage in all manners of abuse including physical, verbal, emotional, medical, financial and even sexual abuse.
Neglectful staff members may put residents in danger by not using necessary assistive devices, making medication errors, letting bedsores develop, not changing bedding, not adequately bathing residents, not providing toilet assistance as frequently as needed, or not responding to residents’ requests for help in a timely manner.
When an experienced Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer investigates an abusive or neglectful staff member’s background, they may find the staff member has a history of bad conduct at prior facilities, which a diligent nursing home should have discovered during the hiring process.
Speak with a Maryland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Today
If you are confronting negligent hiring or training in Maryland nursing homes, an experienced Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer can be your advocate as you seek the compensation you deserve.
