Nursing homes are responsible for caring for their residents. However, there are countless instances of nursing home abuse or neglect in Maryland and throughout the country. Neglect of a Maryland nursing home resident includes a failure to care for a resident in a way that would avoid harm or pain, or a failure to react to a harmful situation.
Under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 10.07.02.12, a nursing home must have a licensed nurse on duty 24 hours a day to provide bedside care in order to ensure that the resident: receives proper treatments, medications, and diet; receives proper care to prevent ulcers and deformities; is well-groomed, comfortable, and clean; is protected from accidents, injuries, and infections; receives rehabilitative nursing; and is assisted in self-care and group activities. In addition, a licensed nurse must be on duty at all times and should be able “to recognize significant changes in the condition of patients and to take necessary action.” That nurse is responsible for making daily rounds to all nursing units. In addition, any nurse who questions the care that is being provided to a patient must report the issue to the supervisor.
Hospital Staff Uncover Serious Concerns After Nursing Home Resident Transported for Fever
Police in Memphis, Tennessee are investigating an incident of alleged elder abuse after a man was found in a dire state after being brought to the hospital for a fever. The police report states that the nursing home resident was brought to the hospital after he ran a high fever. However, at the hospital, staff and a social worker said they found five open wounds on his body, a bruise on a stomach, and severely dry skin that was “flaking off his body.” They also found maggots inside wounds where his left foot and right leg had been amputated. According to the hospital nurses, the staples were never removed from his right leg amputation, and the bandages had not been removed. He was also allegedly found in feces.
The victim’s daughter said that her sister noticed something was wrong when she was visiting him at the nursing home. He was brought to the hospital the following day. The daughter said that she had worked in the medical field for some time and that her father’s case was one of the worst she had ever witnessed. The nursing home did not give a statement.
Has Your Loved One Suffered from Nursing Home Neglect?
If you believe your loved one has suffered from neglect at a Maryland nursing home, you may be able to bring a claim against the nursing home. Nursing homes are responsible for the care of their residents, and they must be held responsible for their actions. At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we have nearly two decades of experience representing victims throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. We approach each case with empathy and professionalism in order to provide you with the attention you deserve. Contact us at 800-654-1949 or 410-654-3600, or through our online form to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Court Upholds Jury’s Decision to Award Punitive Damages in Nursing Home Case, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published October 13, 2017.
Pre-Trial Discovery in Maryland Nursing Home Cases, Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog, published October 6, 2017.