Inadequate Training for Nursing Home Staff in Florida

Florida has one of the highest populations of residents living in nursing homes. According to the Florida Health Care Association, as the number of Americans over the age of 65 will continue to rise so will the number of nursing home occupants. Nursing homes need to be prepared to manage and care for this increased demand for nursing home care in the future, as well as for those already in nursing homes.

State law dictates that nursing homes are required to develop and implement training for nurses, nursing assistants, dieticians, and even volunteers to ensure they are adequately trained to provide care for residents. While West Palm Beach has some of the most respected and highly rated nursing homes in the state, preventable injuries, illnesses, and even deaths occur.

Oftentimes these incidents can be associated with nursing home staff being inadequately trained in identifying risk factors, treating residents, or in reporting concerns for a nursing home resident. If your loved one has suffered an injury or illness such as a broken hip, dehydration, bed sore, infection, or other condition, an experienced nursing home lawyer can help you determine if inadequate training for nursing home staff in West Palm Beach contributed to your injury.

Training Requirements for Nursing Homes

The Florida Health Care Association reports that overall nursing home satisfaction has been on the rise since 2005. This indicates nursing homes and service providers are implementing sound practices, which can be a direct result of proper staff training. Nursing homes are regulated by both state and federal laws, and there are specific laws that regulate how nursing homes should train their staff. Specifically, Florida Statute Section 400.022 requires nursing homes to prepare a written plan and provide training for staff on resident’s rights. In addition, nursing homes are required to implement specific training to address residents with Alzheimer’s disease as well as other dementias according to Fla. Stat. 400.0239(b). Other training nursing homes are required to implement include:

• Identifying residents at risks for bed sores
• Addressing residents with special nutrition requirements
• Identifying and ensuring residents are properly hydrated
• Ensuring nutrition service providers are properly trained

These training requirements are more than about ensuring comfort for nursing home residents. They are meant to guarantee that nursing home residents in Palm Beach Gardens are well cared for, as well as protected from abuse and neglect.

Signs That a Nursing Home is Inadequately Training its Staff

Nursing home residents are considered a vulnerable population as they are often unable to articulate their needs properly and may be hesitant to report instances of abuse or neglect. However, for families, this can be a problem as it means a loved one is potentially failing to receive the proper attention and care they need and deserve.

While Palm Beach Gardens has many wonderful nursing homes, some are chronically understaffed, which can lead to individual workers completing tasks and providing care they are not specifically trained for. Proving liability for inadequate training for nursing home staff in West Palm Beach, therefore, requires a thorough investigation of internal policies and procedures to identify if a nursing home is not in compliance with state and federal regulations and requirements. Other examples of inadequate training or internal procedures include:

• No assigned risk manager
• A lack of or a defunct risk management committee
• No internal policies or procedures in place to address safety and health concerns
• A lack of an incident reporting system

If a nursing home has not properly trained staff and as a result, a resident is injured, residents and their families may be entitled to compensation for their injuries.

Obligation to Train West Palm Beach Nursing Home Staff

Nursing homes have a duty and an obligation to provide residents with the best care possible. To ensure residents are well-cared for, it is essential that nursing homes properly train their staff. However, with the massive influx of people entering nursing homes across the state, many nursing homes struggle to keep up with the number of new staff needed and can, unfortunately, fail to provide their staff with the proper training. If you or your loved one suffered an injury because of inadequate training for nursing home staff in West Palm Beach, contact a compassionate nursing home abuse attorney today.