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When elderly Americans are cared for in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, the risk of infections is greater than what it would be in a single-family residence. This can be due to the fragile immune systems among older people as well as inactivity when patients are bedridden or use a wheelchair. Facility staff members are responsible for preventing and treating infections promptly when they spread.
Although some infections in Toledo nursing homes are inevitable, the care staff’s course of action can make the difference between professional response and negligence. If your loved one’s infection is untreated, worsens due to inadequate treatment, or causes other health issues, a diligent nursing home negligence attorney from Zoll & Kranz, LLC, could investigate the matter and explain your legal options.
Many infections occur in nursing facilities because of staff inattention, patients’ compromised immune systems, and invasive medical procedures. For instance, frequent use of indwelling catheters can put a patient at increased risk for urinary tract infections. Over the past few years, respiratory infections attributed to COVID-19 have run rampant in nursing homes. Other infections skilled nursing facility patients in Toledo are commonly subjected to include:
Under state law, all assisted care facilities in Ohio are expected to adopt protocols to counteract infections. If they fail to do so, residents harmed by infections may be entitled to compensation. Contact a Toledo attorney specializing in infections in local nursing homes to discuss a loved one’s predicament.
According to Ohio Administrative Code Rule 3701-17-11(D), nursing home attendants must employ preventive methods to combat infections residents may be exposed to. One of the simplest requirements is for caregivers to wash their hands vigorously after using the toilet, before handling patients or their food, immediately after touching a resident or contaminated substances, and after removing protective gloves.
Federal law also requires skilled nursing and other long-term care facilities to implement an infection program that allows for investigating, controlling, and preventing infections, through the use of adequate record-keeping. Nursing homes must actively look for infectious outbreaks and determine if they could spread.
Staff must also be educated to spot infections in compromised residents. For infections linked to airborne illnesses, staff should isolate and monitor patients when transported within the facility.
Failing to safeguard residents from infections or allowing infections to spread unnecessarily can be grounds for a negligence or medical malpractice lawsuit. When the situation becomes dire, a dedicated attorney can guide a resident’s family through the legal process.
Nursing home residents generally have immune systems compromised by age and medical conditions, which can lead to infections that may not be totally preventable, but that should be quickly identified and controlled. Failure to follow the correct protocol for an infectious outbreak leaves long-term care facility residents at even greater risk and the facility vulnerable to lawsuits.
If your loved one is a resident of a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, assisted living center, or memory care unit, ask the staff if they have adopted a protocol for handling infections, including record-keeping. If infections plague your loved one, contact our compassionate team of lawyers at Zoll & Kranz, LLC. Your loved ones should not have to tolerate infections in Toledo nursing homes, and our skilled attorneys can ensure they do not.
Michelle is a founding partner of Zoll & Kranz, located in Toledo, Ohio. Michelle has been a plaintiff’s lawyer for the entirety of her practice – over 32 years. She devotes the majority of her time to complex consolidated litigation and class action including advocating for people injured by medical devices, prescription medications, or corporate negligence.
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy and clarity by the team of writers and attorneys at Zoll & Kranz, LLC and is as accurate as possible. This content should not be taken as legal advice from an attorney. If you would like to learn more about our owner and experienced Ohio injury lawyer, Michelle L. Kranz, you can do so here.
Zoll & Kranz, LLC does everything possible to make sure the information in this article is up to date and accurate. If you need specific legal advice about your case, contact us. This article should not be taken as advice from an attorney.
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