Common Types of Nurse Negligence in Nursing Homes
Under Florida law, nursing homes are required to have a minimum number of certified nurses and nursing assistants. Facilities are required to have licensed nurses on staff that can provide a minimum of one hour of direct care per resident every day. Facilities must also ensure there is a minimum certified nursing assistant staffing to provide 2 hours of direct care per resident per day.
In most cases, the nurses and nursing assistants in nursing homes provide a very high level of care that helps residents. Sadly, that is not always the case. These individuals are only human and so, they sometimes make mistakes. Due to the fact that these mistakes cause such serious harm to seniors, you can hold them liable for paying damages if they are negligent. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney outlines the most common types of nurse negligence that occurs.
Improper Use of Medical Instruments
Nurses have many important jobs in nursing homes. They must take resident’s vitals, administer needles, and coordinate and cooperate with other members of the medical team to care for residents. When performing all of these tasks, nursing staff must use a number of different medical instruments. If these instruments are used improperly, it can have some of the worst consequences.
For example, a syringe that is used improperly can result in a fatal air bubble being released into the resident’s bloodstream. Likewise, if a resident needs to be intubated and a nurse does not have the proper training or authority to do it, this can also have catastrophic consequences.
Medication Errors
Nurses handle medication on a daily basis. They are responsible for administering the proper dosage of the right drug at the appropriate time. When nurses do not properly administer medication, or they fail to correctly log it, residents can suffer a great deal of harm. Another staff member may administer another dose if the first one is not logged, which could cause a resident to overdose. If patients receive the wrong drug, that could cause extremely serious injuries.
Failing to Follow Doctor’s Orders
Nurses are often residents’ first line of defense in nursing homes and they interact with them much more than they do doctors. As such, it is critical that nurses follow any instructions given to them by a doctor to prevent harm to residents. This is particularly important due to the fact that nursing home residents are usually of an advanced age and therefore, more vulnerable. Even small misunderstandings can have a serious impact on a resident’s overall health.
Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Tampa Can Help After Medical Negligence
If your loved one has been hurt by medical negligence in a nursing home, you do have legal options. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney can explain what those are and help you hold the facility accountable for paying the full damages you and your family deserve. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or chat with us online to request a free consultation and to get more information.
Source:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0400/Sections/0400.23.html
