There are a variety of factors that could influence the standard of care patients in Illinois or elsewhere might receive at a care facility. Should a facility have trouble keeping adequate staff, the ramifications of understaffing could have a devastating impact on the well-being of its residents. Knowing how such issues could affect patient care and how to tell identify the presence of understaffing could be integral to safeguarding against nursing home neglect.
Researchers indicate that inadequate staffing can create a variety of issues, each of which could pose a significant threat to patient safety, some of which may include:
- Impact on staff: Inadequate staffing may only act to place extensive workloads on staff members, which could lead to decreases in productivity and contentment.
- Response times: Such workloads may inherently create issues with response times and such delays could have a cataclysmic impact on patients who are in need of medical attention.
- Lack of nutrition: Similar issues could increase the risks that patients might be subjected to neglect, and failure to attend to essential patient needs such as nutrition and hygiene could prove disastrous.
- Lack of monitoring: Understaffing can also lead to issues with lack of patient monitoring, which in turn may increase the risks of accidents and patient injuries.
As understaffing may also increase stress levels, experts indicate that watching out for signs of abuse could also be integral, as discontented workers may be more likely to lash out at patients.
Regardless of how it occurs, the presence of nursing home neglect can wreak havoc on a patient’s well-being. Victims or family members of those who suffer harm under similar scenarios may wish to take the necessary steps to hold the responsible parties accountable, and they could choose to speak with an attorney for advice on how best to approach the process. Such guidance could help a person in Illinois better prepare to protect against such negligence and if necessary, prepare to seek the restitution deserved through the appropriate outlets.
