Often, when people think about instances of nursing home neglect, they think about issues like bedsores, slip and falls and drug errors. However, abuse is also an issue. One form of abuse is assault, which can occur at the hands of another resident or employee, leading to serious injuries.
Keep in mind, many residents at nursing homes are susceptible to their environment, as they are vulnerable to conditions because of their health. With this in mind, nursing homes have a duty to hire good employees, who need to be able to handle difficult situations in a sensible and legal fashion.
Sadly, this is not always the case. Some safety experts estimate that instances of abuse, including assaults, occur in almost 30 percent of all U.S. nursing homes. These incidents include serious physical, sexual and verbal abuse.
Florida Nurse Charged with Putting Hot Sauce in Patients’ Mouths
We decided to blog about nursing home assault because we recently came across a terrifying story involving an Ocala nurse who was charged with battery after she placed hot sauce into the mouths of two sleeping dementia patients.
The incident reportedly took place at the Williston Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in 2013.
According to the Associated Press, Tracie Nellis was charged with battery on a person age 65 or older and misdemeanor battery after investigators discovered the alleged abuse. Nellis already pleaded no contest to one charge. Because of this, the state Board of Nursing ruled last week that she might have to give up her license to avoid further disciplinary proceedings.
Having Nursing Home Abuse Allegations Investigated by an Attorney
Remember, if a nursing home employee has harmed your loved one, aside from contacting local law enforcement officials, it may be in your best interest to have an attorney investigate your case. Do not allow your family member to suffer at the hands of an improperly staffed nursing home. Hold it liable.
To see how we have been successful in other personal injury cases, review our verdicts and settlements page.