Improper Use of Bed Rails in Nursing Homes
Summary
This article discusses the necessity for bed rails and the things that can occur as a result of misusing bed rails in a nursing home or other assisted living center. An elderly individual who is incapable of physically supporting their weight can subsequently fall and suffer a very serious injury, greatly reducing or completely removing their quality of life. They may even suffer a fatal fall if improperly secured with bed rails. This article discusses the types of injuries that can occur and the ways that this sort of negligence can be prevented and compensated should it occur.
Improper Use of Bed Rails in Nursing Homes
Bed rails and physical restraints are intended to prevent injury to the medical patients and protect them from any bodily harm. The main purpose of bed rails is to keep patients from falling out of the bed. Misuse of bedrails occurs when the bedrails are not properly placed. As a result of negligence on the part of nursing staff, improper use of bed rails can occur and can result in serious injury to your loved ones living in nursing homes or assisted living centers. By neglecting to use bed rails to safely secure an elderly individual in their bed, that individual can suffer a very serious fall resulting in many different injuries such as:
- Hip Fractures
- Concussions
- Other Broken Bones
- Cuts or Bruises
- Fatality
If your loved one has been the victim of improper use of bed rails while in the care of a nursing home facility in the Maricopa area, you and your loved one are entitled to compensation for any resulting injuries. If the proper measures are taken to ensure the care of your loved one while they are living in a nursing home or assisted living center, there should be no reason for them to suffer from hip fractures or any other injury. The most common negligence is poor environment and the lack of adequate attention to each elderly resident. The overuse and misuse of sedative medications in nursing homes is also a major contributing factor, as sedatives (depression or anti-anxiety medication) can lower the resident's reaction time.
While it is possible for nursing home staff to over-use bed rails or improperly use other restraining devices, not using them when it is absolutely necessary is just as negligent and should never happen. This sort of behavior puts your loved one at great risk for physical injury and may greatly diminish or completely remove their quality of life as a result. Elderly individuals especially with some form of brittle bone disease such as osteoporosis are greatly susceptible to physical injury including broken bones as a result of falling due to improper security in their beds.
If you believe a nursing home facility or assisted living center is at fault for your loved one's injuries or if you believe they are not taking care to insure the security of your loved ones, you can contact an Arizona Advocacy Attorney who can assist you in getting the compensation you deserve. Despite the concern and controversy over the misuse of restraining devices or devices that insure your loved one's security, bed rails are absolutely necessary to make sure your loved one does not become the victim of a serious fall from their bed in any situation.
Contact an Arizona Nursing Home Advocate Attorney
Preventive measures are not always followed by employees in nursing homes; An Arizona Attorney in the Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale and Maricopa County communities can provide legal information if a loved one or someone you know has sustained injuries from a fall because of negligence. For more information see www.nursinghomeadvocates.com.
