A recent article by the Chicago Tribune outlines the debate the State of Illinois is having in determining whether nursing homes should be required to allow video cameras to be installed in patient rooms in order to document the type of care the nurses are providing to their patients.
The article explains that there are two sides to the debate, and even patient advocates are skeptical that cameras are a good idea in all circumstances. Right now, there are about five states that allow a family to install a camera in their loved one’s room. Each state’s law is a little different, but a few things must be considered about the use of cameras in nursing homes, such as:
- The loss of privacy that nursing home residents would suffer as a result of the cameras always being on;
- The expense of the equipment and the occasional monitoring of the videos;
- The effect, both positive and negative, that recording patient interactions may have on the nursing home as a workplace;
- The admissibility of the tapes in civil or criminal suits against the nursing home and its employees; and
- The privacy of visitors, guests, and nursing home faculty and how it may be affected by the cameras.
Video Cameras in Maryland Nursing Homes
Right now in Maryland, it is permissible for the family of a nursing home resident to install and monitor a video recording device to keep tabs on their loved one and the nurses caring for him or her. Despite this, we do not see all that many cameras being used in nursing home facilities, in part because the nursing homes do not like the idea of being constantly monitored.
Having a tape of an alleged event, however, should not scare a diligent nursing home. If the staff is treating the resident with the dignity and respect they deserve; the video could vindicate any nursing home employee who was falsely accused of misconduct.
On the other hand, having a video of patient abuse or neglect could certainly help make out a plaintiff’s case against the nursing home in a civil court. In fact, video evidence of abuse or neglect would almost certainly be admissible in court against the nursing home and would likely be very compelling evidence for the jury to consider.
Do You Have a Loved One Who Has Been Injured or Neglected by a Maryland Nursing Home?
If you have a loved one at a Maryland nursing home, and you believe that he or she has been abused or neglected by the nursing home’s staff, he or she may be entitled to monetary damages. In the tragic case that a loved one passed away as a result of his or her injuries, you may be able to proceed against the nursing home yourself in a Maryland wrongful death action. However, the nursing home will likely be prepared to fight you tooth and nail on the issue of liability and damages, if it should come to that. To help ensure that you do everything you can to get the justice you deserve, contact a dedicated Maryland nursing home attorney today at 410-654-3600.
See More Blog Posts:
New York Nursing Home Questioned After Another Patient Death, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published August 18, 2014.
Nurse Arrested for the Abuse of a 92-Year-Old Nursing Home Patient, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published September 5, 2014.