Staffing is one of the biggest expenses at any business. Especially when a company offers services, the availability of employees to provide those services influences how much money the company actually makes. That is true at a nursing home as much as it might be at an accounting firm or a computer repair shop. The ability to provide services to residents depends on the number of workers on any given shift.
Unfortunately, staffing practices at nursing homes may leave people without the support they need when they depend on employees for everything from nutrition to daily hygiene.
Residents may end up waiting too long
When older adults struggle to change their clothing, move around the facility or manage other daily tasks, they may need to call nursing home employees to assist them. The fewer professionals there are on the schedule, the longer residents at the nursing home may wait for simple support.
Those left waiting a half an hour or more to go to the bathroom or move to the dining hall may try to accomplish those tasks on their own. They could end up falling and sustaining significant injuries because there were not enough employees available to help them manage matters in a safe and timely fashion. When nursing home administrators reduce the number of workers to the minimum amount allowed by law, the residents are often the ones who suffer the consequences.
In cases where understaffing directly contributed to an incident that left an older adult injured, it may be possible to hold a facility accountable for negligent care standards. Filing a nursing home negligence lawsuit can help families challenge unsafe practices and cover the costs generated by substandard nursing home care.