Are Beds in Nursing Homes a Threat to Patient Safety?
Written by Jay M. Kelley III in Accident & Injury on September 6, 2018
When an elderly loved one needs personal care and medical attention that spouses or family members cannot provide, they often move to a nursing home facility. These facilities typically have the staff, resources, and equipment that can make life more comfortable for a patient.
However, accidents can happen in nursing homes, particularly when conditions are substandard and staff is lacking or negligent. For instance, did you know that a nursing home patient’s bed could pose a threat to his or her safety? If you believe a loved one’s danger is in safety, contact a Columbus nursing home abuse lawyer today for a free consultation.
Dangerous beds
According to this article from the ECRI Institute, patients who use an electric low-profile bed could become trapped or injured if the bed is lowered while there is an overbed table in use, as the base of the table sits under the bed.
When the bed and table bases interact, the table can tip over and anything on that table can spill onto a person in the bed. This could be a hot cup of coffee or other items that could cause injury.
Further, the report notes that a person could even become trapped between the table and the bed. Patients who are left unattended for extended amounts of time in this position could suffer serious injuries and emotional trauma.
Suggestions to prevent these situations
The article goes on to recommend certain actions to prevent these incidences from occurring. Among the recommendations are refraining from lowering a bed when there is anything underneath it, restricting a patient’s access to controlling the height of the bed and locking adjustment functions.
However, another important preventative measure would be to have qualified, trained and attentive staff members who can help patients make any necessary adjustments to their bed or other equipment and respond immediately if the need arises.
What to do when accidents happen
Unfortunately, there are numerous facilities in Ohio and across the U.S. that have inadequate resources and unqualified staff members, as well as unsafe or broken equipment that put patient safety in jeopardy. This can lead to serious accidents and injuries to vulnerable loved ones.
Should this occur, family members may want to examine the legal remedies that may be available, including compensation for damages suffered as a result of negligence or recklessness.
Jay M. Kelley III - Managing Partner
Meet Jay M. Kelley III, a top medical malpractice attorney in Ohio with over 25 years of experience and $200 million in verdicts and settlements. He leads Elk + Elk’s litigation strategy in state and federal courts and has a unique background as a former felony prosecutor and hospital defense lawyer. Jay specializes in complex cases, including birth injuries and wrongful death, and is recognized by Best Lawyers and ranked among the Super Lawyers Top 10 in Ohio.
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