Many residents in nursing facilities are limited in their mobility and lack the capacity to transfer between the bed, wheelchair, toilet or chair. As a result, the nursing staff is trained to use Hoyer lift and other mechanical devices to assist the resident in safely transferring. Unfortunately, the Chicago elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have represented residents who have suffered serious injuries caused by improper use of mechanical lifts during transfers.
Hoyer lift and other mechanical lifting devices use slings or belts as a way to transfer resident’s from one location to another. These devices are used for to aid in the mobility and safety of residents who are elderly, disabled or rehabilitating. However, any improper use of the assistive aids and lifting devices could cause catastrophic results that lead to serious injury or death of the resident.
Staff members who lack proper training or fail to follow’s established procedures, guidelines, and policies on safety can contribute to serious injuries of the resident should they drop or fall while being transferred. Sadly, any slip and fall can diminish the quality of a nursing home resident’s daily life and lead to lifelong debilitation.
Wesley Place
Wesley Place is a 108-certified bed non-profit Medicaid/Medicare-participating nursing facility providing services to residents of the Chicago metropolitan area. The facility is located at:
1415 W. Foster Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60640
(773) 769-5500
Wesley Place offers rehabilitation services that encompass:
- Cardiac care
- Respiratory care
- Neurological care
- Orthopedic services
- occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Speech therapy
Chicago Area Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
In an effort to provide the latest information on nursing facilities nationwide, the federal government and the state of Illinois routinely update their databases to reflect opened investigations, filed complaints, safety concerns and health violations at every facility in the United States. The updated information is then posted online on numerous websites including Medicare.gov through their star rating summary system and comparative analysis tools. Many families use this information before making the decision of where to place their loved one in a community nursing facility that provides the highest level of care.
Currently, Wesley Place maintains an overall five out of five available star rating in comparison to other facilities nationwide. This includes five out of five stars for quality measures and staffing issues and three out of five stars for health concerns. However, our Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys have found one major deficiency involving this facility that includes:
- Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Accident Hazards and Potential Risks and Provides Supervision to Prevent Avoidable Accidents
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 01/14/2016, a complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure to “ensure that two staff members were present during a mechanical lift transfer as prescribed in the facility policy and procedure for mechanical lift transfers and as identified in the Care Plan resulting to a fall incident for one resident.”
The failure was first documented on 10/12/2015 in the resident’s Nurse’s Notes that 2:00 PM a friend of the resident “call the attention of [the Registered Nurse on duty upon entering the room saw the resident “sitting upright with buttocks on the floor, both legs lay flat on the floor, with [a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at the resident’s] back.” The Certified Nursing Assistant said that they had “grabbed and tried to usher [the resident] to the floor when the mechanical lift sling started to slide.”
Documentation noted that the Certified Nursing Assistant became nervous when the mechanical lift started to slide and became unsteady. The nurse on duty noted that the Certified Nursing Assistant was transferring the resident alone.” The nurse also stated that the Certified Nursing Assistant “had been using the mechanical lift before and was aware that there should be two staff members during transfer for safety.” The nurse on duty confirmed, “that according to the training and procedure, there should be two staff members participating in the transferring a resident using a mechanical lift or equipment.”
The state investigator conducted a 01/13/2016 interview with the facility’s Director of Nursing who stated that “the facility policy states that there should be two staff members when a resident is being transferred is a mechanical lift or equipment […and] stated that staff is trained during orientation regarding these policies and procedures and then are retrained as needed.”
Chicago Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one has suffered serious injury or a wrongful death caused by the negligent actions of the nursing staff at any Illinois nursing facility including Wesley Place, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can provide legal options to assist you. Our Cook County elder abuse attorneys have represented victims who have been dropped or fallen from Hoyer lifts.
To successfully resolve your financial compensatory claim against the nursing facility and staff members responsible for causing your loved one harm, we urge you to contact our Chicago Illinois nursing home abuse law firm at (888) 424-5757 today to schedule your free, no-obligation case consultation. We accept all wrongful death lawsuits, personal injury cases, and nursing home neglect claim for compensation through contingency fee agreements. This means you receive immediate legal representation and our fees are paid only after we negotiate an acceptable out of court settlement or win your case at trial.
