Dawn Andrews, a Certified Nurse’s Aide at a Clinton County nursing home facility in Plattsburgh, has been sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours of community service following a case of neglect that resulted in a resident’s fall from a toilet, which led to a fracture. The aide will also be required to pay $700 in fines.
Andrews reportedly failed to follow a care plan for toileting and left a resident along during toileting. The resident suffers from dementia, and was left alone even though the current care plan calls for assistance and monitoring when a resident is using the toilet. The resident suffered a hip fracture as a result of the fall.
Unfortunately, this scene takes place all too often in nursing homes and elder care facilities, where staff members often offer an excuse of “it happens.” Elderly people do fall more often, as they often lose strength and become feeble. This is no excuse in a nursing home, where our elderly family members are expected to be cared for and nurtured. Staff members, nurses and aides should all abide by the rules, and monitor all residents closely so that unfortunate accidents like this one do not happen. This could have easily been prevented if the nurse’s aide had followed the care plan set forth by the nursing home.
It is true that elderly people are more prone to falling, but never accept excuses for nursing home neglect. Staff should carefully monitor residents when they are getting out of bed, toileting, showering or even getting up out of a chair if they are feeble or suffer from conditions that make them unstable.
If your loved one has fallen or been injured in a nursing home, or you suspect that they are being neglected or abused, do not hesitate to take action. Contact a competent Buffalo NY nursing home injury attorney who can advise you of your rights, and what action if any should be taken.
Brown Chiari are experienced Buffalo personal injury attorneys
