A resident at the Lexington of Elmhurst nursing home in Elmhurst, Illinois was severely injured when two certified nurses aides (CNAs) were unable to successfully transfer the resident from her wheelchair to her bed. As a result, the woman’s left leg was broken.
The resident’s most recent care plan indicates that she requires extensive assistance during transfers including two staff members and a sit-to-stand lift. One of the resident’s legs has been amputated above the knee.
Although it probably doesn’t sound like it, an above-the-knee amputation is much worse than a below-the-knee amputation when it comes to maintaining mobility with prosthetic limbs. A prosthetic or artificial limb is designed to mimic the behavior of the leg. Attempting to control a prosthetic that is replacing two major joints (knee and ankle) rather than one requires extraordinary coordination and is all but impossible for a senior already suffering from a variety of health issues.
A sit-to-stand lift utilizes slings in the same manner that a full body Hoyer Lift does, but, unlike the Hoyer Lift, it does not suspend the entire body. Obviously, using a sit-to-stand lift with a woman who only has one leg is exceptionally dangerous because of the increased risk of a nursing home fall. It’s possible the facility did not have a full-body lift.
On the night in question, instead of two CNAs, a single employee was attempting to transfer the woman from her wheelchair to her bed. It was a failing effort, and a second CNA arrived to assist. Reports from the two CNAs vary, but the victim reportedly slid from the sling more than one time. These actions may be indicative of a failure to properly train staff in the use of the equipment and a sign of nursing home neglect.
The two CNAs also compounded their error by neglecting to report the injuries. The woman was forced to endure the pain of the injury for hours.
If you have a loved one who has been injured in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel their injuries were caused by nursing home neglect, contact our Illinois nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case or file an Illinois nursing home complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health now.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Femur and hip fractures in botched transfer at Bryan Manor
Resident left on edge of bed at Wood Glen suffers head injury