Unfortunately, the mistreatment of residents in nursing homes exists. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) conducts surveys to ensure nursing homes meet federal requirements for quality and safety. However, some facilities subject residents to physical, financial, emotional and psychological abuse.
Different factors contribute to nursing home abuse, and one of them is poor hiring practices. This is how this happens.
Lack of required skills
Some residents in a nursing home need more advanced personal and medical care. For example, residents with conditions like dementia, lung issues, cardiac-related complications, mobility challenges and injuries should be taken care of by skilled staff.
If a facility can’t hire skilled personnel, it should not admit residents with such needs. They should only accept elders who can’t handle the daily tasks required for independent living but don’t need advanced care. However, if a nursing home wants to admit patients with special needs, it should hire staff trained on such cases.
Lack of background checks
Past mistakes should not cost someone a job opportunity. However, to work in a nursing home, some histories should be considered. For instance, it may be tricky to hire someone with a history of elder abuse or elder financial exploitation. Nursing homes that don’t conduct thorough background checks and hire people with questionable pasts put residents at a high risk of abuse.
Understaffing
Understaffing is another poor hiring practice that some nursing homes commit. This occurs due to different reasons, including:
- Admitting more patients for the profit
- To keep labor costs low
- A shortage of registered nurses with required training
A nursing home should have a reasonable staff-to-resident ratio to ensure every resident receives quality attention and care.
Your loved one may experience nursing home abuse due to poor hiring practices. It will help to get legal assistance to protect their rights.