When a patient in a South Carolina nursing home cannot move from the bed to a wheelchair, from a wheelchair to the shower, or otherwise on his/her own, then the patient is considered dependent on staff for transfers. The certified nursing assistants, nurses, physical therapists, and all staff in a nursing home must undertake transfers of patients with great care so that the nursing home patient is transferred safely. Failure to do so could constitute Nursing Home Neglect.
What constitutes a safe transfer of a nursing home patient? First, a safe transfer must use the method of transferring that is best suited to a patient’s physical needs. Transfer of a patient may require use of a mechanical lift called a Hoyer lift or assistance from one or more nursing assistants to physically move the nursing home patient from the bed to the wheelchair.
Second, to be a safe transfer of a nursing home patient, the nursing assistant must make sure the patient is moved to the location which is intended. For example, if a nursing home patient is intended to be moved or transferred from the wheelchair to a shower chair and the nursing assistant allows the patient to fall to the floor, that cannot be considered a safe transfer.
Because a nursing home may be understaffed, a nursing assistant may have to transfer a nursing home patient with less than sufficient staff assistance. A nursing home patient may experience injury such as a hip fracture, leg fracture, or other broken bone.
If your loved one has experienced injury in a nursing home, feel free to contact Dan Pruitt Law Firm for a free evaluation of your case. For more information on Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect: Click Here