Nurses, like doctors and other medical professionals, are held to a high standard. Like nurses elsewhere, nurses in a skilled nursing facility are charged with caring for people who are not capable of caring for themselves. Specifically, these nurses care mostly for an elderly population who often suffer from advanced forms of physical and mental illnesses and diseases.
However, nurses are humans and are prone to making mistakes, making errors in judgment, and becoming frustrated or angry. Unlike many other medical professionals, however, nursing home employees are often left alone with their patients. This leads to a situation in which a nurse can, unfortunately, act with impunity in regard to how they interact with their patient. In some cases, even when residents report that they have been neglected or abused, the nurse responds with a blanket denial, knowing very well that it will be difficult to prove a case against them.
Nurses have even been known to go as far as altering the nursing home records in an attempt to cover up what happened between the nurse and the resident. That is exactly what is alleged to have occurred in a New York nursing home earlier this month. According to one local news source, a 28-year-old nurse was accused of abusing one of her patients back in December of last year. Specifically, the nurse allegedly slapped the elderly patient’s hands and wrists against a bedside table, covered her mouth, and threw her feet around in a rough manner.
In response to the accusations, the nurse decided to take matters into her own hands and allegedly falsified business records in an attempt to cover up what had occurred. The prosecution has not yet released what exactly she did to cover up the alleged abuse. However, it is known that she lied to her employer when discussing the incident. She faces felony charges later this year. One of the members of the prosecution was quoted as saying, “For a patient to be abused by someone whose job it is to ensure their well-being is disgraceful.”
When a nurse is found to have abused a resident of a nursing home, that is clearly a violation not just of the criminal law but also of the civil duty that the nurse owed to her patient. Such a violation can result in financial liability, including amounts for medical expenses as well as pain and suffering.
Has Your Loved One Suffered in a Maryland Nursing Home?
If you have a loved one in a Maryland nursing home, and you believe that they were abused or neglected during their stay, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. Maryland law allows for various types of lawsuits to be filed against negligent or abusive nurses, and speaking with a dedicated attorney is the best place to start to understand more about your case. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation with one of the skilled personal injury advocates at the Maryland and Washington D.C. law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers.
More Blog Posts:
What You Can Do to Help Detect Nursing Home Abuse, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published January 22, 2016.
Psychological Abuse in Nursing Homes, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published February 5, 2016.