“It was like magic, in a twinkle of an eye she fell” the Certified Nursing Assistant told inspectors from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The CNA was attempting to change the incontinence pad of a Manorcare of Wilmette resident when the resident rolled out of bed. The resulting fall fractured the resident‘s arm.
The CNA told investigators that she rolled the resident away from her while she tried to provide care. When a single staff member is attempting to provide care for a resident in bed, the resident should always be rolled so that their face is towards the staff member. This is more than a suggestion. People on their side almost always roll towards their front. They almost never roll backwards.
To an untrained person, rolling a resident to face away seems like it will make it much easier to clean them and provide care. But this is a rookie mistake to a trained staff member.
Nursing home falls are extremely dangerous nursing home injuries for two reasons. The first reason, obviously, is the damage caused by the fall itself. Nursing home falls can result in breaks that permanently rob residents of their mobility. Initially, this can lead to obesity, depression, and further nursing home falls.
In the long term, these falls can have even more devastating side effects. Residents who are unable to move are far more likely to develop bed sores.
Bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers, are injuries that develop on residents who are unable to adjust themselves. They can quickly advance from small discolorations to bone deep wounds. Because they are most commonly found on areas of the body that are in almost constant contact with their beds, they are prone to infection. They are frequently fatal.
If you have a loved one in an Illinois nursing home who has been seriously injured in a nursing home fall, contact my law offices for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices we never charge a fee unless we earn a recovery for you.
Other blog posts on nursing home falls:
Failure to use alarms leads to falls at Collinsville Rehab
Spree of falls at Brentwood North