NEGLECT INDICATORS

Nursing home neglect can be categorized as medical or physical neglect. Medical neglect occurs when a nursing home fails to properly care for the medical conditions that a resident develops during or prior to their stay at the nursing home. Physical neglect takes place when a nursing home employee fails to assist a resident with the necessities of daily living. The examples listed below are common indicators and types of nursing home neglect:
I. A couple of residents were left in soiled briefs contributing to the development of bed pressure sores and infection.
II. Due to insufficient staff and inadequately trained staff there was a lack of care and assistance for residents resulting in 35 minute waits for call bells, no water or food at the bedside, and residents with soiled clothing waiting for employees to take them to the bathroom.
III. Nursing home employee failed to follow physician's orders, which resulted in the hospitalization of a resident for a broken femur.
IV. Resident suffered severe injuries when a dosage of insulin was given 4 hours after the regularly scheduled time.
V. Multiple residents experienced weight loss because of a lack of communication between employees of the nursing home.
VI. Physicians were not notified when decline in residents condition was first documented.
VII. Nursing home employees disregarded physician orders, discontinuing prescription for Valium, which resulted in significant decline in activities of daily living, lethargy, and drowsiness of resident.
VIII. Nursing home did not store, prepare or distribute food in a sanitary manner.
IX. Nursing home failed to prevent a resident, who was incapable of going out on his own, from leaving the nursing home.
X. Resident was denied the right to choose a personal physician