The most dangerous part of the day for many nursing home patients may be getting out of bed in the morning.  When staff fail to supervise or provide proper assistance to nursing home patients during transfers, patients are at risk for falls or being dropped by staff.

Disabled nursing home patients and those with physical limitations must be carefully monitored to avoid injuries while being transferred from one device to another.  Some of the commonly encountered situations where patients are injured include:

• Bathing: facilities failing to provide assistance or provide specialized bathing equipment including chairs, stands and grips
• Transfer into and out of bed
• Failing to take extra-precautions with patients who may have uncontrolled muscle movement: many times these patients require special restraints during transfers
• Failing to take patient medications into the equation: some commonly prescribed medications can make patients dizzy or cause blood pressure spike or drops when patients are moved
• Failing to engage locks on wheelchairs
• Allowing patients to wear socks or improper footwear during transfers
• Failing to monitor patients with walkers

Although facilities like to claim that these incidents are isolated events, a dropped patient is usually indicative of poor staff training and chronic under-staffing.  Most of these transfer-related incidents occur due to:

• Poorly trained staff: Some facilities do not properly train staff in how to use equipment
• Under-staffing: Facilities sometimes to not have enough man power to safely perform transfers as they were intended
• Wrong equipment: facilities must have the proper equipment for the job
• Faulty equipment: facilities must keep equipment in proper repair.  This includes getting replacement parts from the manufacturer
• Failing to provide timely assistance to patients who request it

Cases involving injury or death during transfer are particularly important to investigate as quickly as feasible after the incident in order to preserve the condition of equipment and to obtain statements from witnesses others who may have knowledge of the event.  

If your loved one suffered an injury or died as a result of a fall or being 'dropped' by staff, we would honor the opportunity to speak with you.  Our nursing home litigation team is always available for consultation. (888) 424-5757

Related Nursing Homes Abuse Blog Entries:

Nursing Home Waits 19 Hours To Provide Medical Treatment To Resident Who Fractured Her Hip During Sabina Lift Transfer

Nursing Home Cited For Mistreatment Of Resident Following Investigation Of Resident's Fractured Neck

Faulty Handicapped Lift Blamed For Nursing Home Death

Improper Transfer Leads To Fall & Ultimately Death Of Rehab Patient