Nursing home residents are among the hardest hit by the Covid 19 virus – more than 10,000 residents have succumbed to the virus across the nation. Inspection records reveal the many mistakes nursing homes made in the early days of the pandemic are likely at the root of widespread disease in these facilities – problems which include failures to utilize personal protective equipment (PPE), not maintaining social distance guidelines among residents, inadequate staff, and a lack of staff training on how to handle and isolate residents exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms.
Perhaps not surprisingly, most of the issues come from the very same homes cited for previous violations of established nursing home standards and rules. However, nursing homes in general have long struggled with infection control and quality of care issues, a troublesome track record when staring down a pandemic. Just when enhanced scrutiny is needed to ensure the health and safety of nursing home residents, oversight of facilities has evaporated with regular inspections curtailed and family visits prohibited to stem the spread of the disease leaving residents at the mercy of nursing homes who have responded to the crisis poorly overall.
How to Hold Nursing Homes Accountable
Nursing homes across the country all have to follow the same federal regulatory requirements and there are specific regulations regarding infection and control programs. When someone in a nursing home gets sick, whether it is the Corona Virus or another contagion, negligence arises when nursing homes fail to adequately respond to an infection, do not have proper policies and procedures in place, lack proper infection control programs, or fail to follow federal regulations.
Contact an Experienced Iowa Nursing Home Lawyer for Help
Put 30 years medical negligence experience and a passion for justice for the elderly and their families to hold negligent nursing homes accountable for their actions. If your family member has been a victim of nursing home neglect resulting in serious injury or death, contact Iowa nursing home neglect lawyer Marc A. Humphrey for immediate assistance today at 515-331-3510.
