Nursing Home Care Plans

Resident “care plans” are an important tool used by nursing home staff to identify resident healthcare problems and the appropriate interventions to address these problems. Care plans also help in assigning the correct and most qualified staff to provide the care outlined in the plan. Essentially, a nursing home care plan is put in place to protect the health and well-being of your loved one while in a nursing home or long-term care facility.

Unfortunately, nursing homes sometimes disregard even the best-made resident care plans. This plan is the basis for the care the resident will receive from the staff, though many facilities systematically struggle with understaffing, unqualified staff and high employee turnover. All of these factors increase the chance that aspects of your loved one’s care plan will not be followed and their health may be neglected.

Shortcomings in the development, execution and a poor evaluation of a care plan can help indicate neglect on the part of the nursing home when a resident suffers injury.

To determine liability in a case of nursing home abuse or neglect, an attorney may evaluate the care plan and ask the following questions:

  1. Was a proper assessment of the resident’s needs and condition done?
  2. Was a proper care plan developed?
  3. Was the care plan effectively communicated to the nurses and staff on the floor treating the resident?
  4. Was the care plan actually carried out?
  5. Was the effectiveness of the care plan evaluated?
  6. Was the care plan revised if it was ineffective or if there were changes in the resident’s condition?

Because of the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, the federal government requires nursing homes that receive Medicare to develop care plans for each resident. And it affords all residents the right to participate in the review of their care plan, and to be fully informed in advance of any changes in care or treatment. If this plan is found inadequate, or a facility has failed to follow it, medical issues, medication errors, serious injuries, infections, and even death can occur.

If you suspect that failure to follow a care plan has caused your loved ones serious injury or wrongful death, contact the experienced nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Hupy and Abraham right away. If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone, call 800-800-5678 or start a live chat anytime at Hupy.com.