Personnel Issues at Kansas City Nursing Homes
Filing a Claim Against a Negligent or Understaffed Nursing Home
Personnel issues are often at the root of nursing home abuse. Understaffing, poor training, lack of supervision, and other problems often lead to inadequate care, mistakes, and even outright neglect.
At the Law Office of Tom Wagstaff Jr., we believe that nursing homes and other long-term care facilities should be held accountable when they fail to properly provide for the health and safety of their residents. If you believe that you or your loved one was harmed due to nursing home abuse caused by personnel issues, call our firm right away. Based in Kansas City, we represent clients throughout Kansas and Missouri.
For a free consultation and case review, call (816) 597-4556 or contact us online using our secure request form.
Award Winning Results
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$2 Million
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$3 Million
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How Common Are Staffing Shortages in Nursing Homes?
Personnel issues at nursing homes are common, with staffing shortages serving as the number one problem facing assisted living and long-term care facilities nationwide. According to a recent survey by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living, more than 60% of nursing homes reported limiting new admissions due to insufficient staffing from January to June of 2022. Worse still, almost 75% of those surveyed cited concerns about potentially having to close their doors due to staffing shortages.
The survey also found that, in addition to already having insufficient staff, 98% of nursing homes are struggling to find and hire qualified staff. This has led to already overworked staff being asked to work overtime and pick up additional shifts, and over 70% of those surveyed have turned to temporary agency staff to help pick up the slack.
Examples of Nursing Home Personnel Issues
In addition to staffing shortages, nursing homes face a wide variety of other personnel issues.
Some examples of common personnel issues in nursing homes include:
- Inadequate staff
- Inadequate training
- Negligent hiring
- Unsupervised care
- Overworked staff
- Caregiver fatigue
- Poor resident-to-staff ratio
- High turnover
These and other personnel issues can lead to a whole host of problems, many of which may negatively affect residents.
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The Effects of Personnel Issues at Nursing Homes
Understaffing, inadequate staff training, high turnover rates, and other personnel issues can lead to a range of problems at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Some examples include:
- Inadequate Attention/Supervision: When residents do not receive adequate attention or supervision, they are at an increased risk of accidents, injuries, infections, illnesses, and other problems. Inadequate attention/supervision is associated with a higher rate of falls, bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, and wrongful death in nursing homes.
- Nursing Home Staff Fatigue: When there is a low staff-to-resident ratio, caregivers are likely to experience “burnout,” which can lead to fatigue. This, in turn, can lead to serious errors when caring for residents. Nursing home staff fatigue has been associated with an increased risk of medication errors, administrative mistakes, and other issues.
- Insufficient Response to Residents’ Needs: Poorly trained staff members may fail to respond appropriately to residents’ physical, medical, and psychological needs. They may make mistakes that end up resulting in serious injury, illness, or even death, especially when emergencies arise.
- Wandering and Abandonment: When residents do not receive adequate supervision, they may wander and even leave the nursing home or assisted living facility. In some cases, understaffed nursing homes have been known to abandon or kick out residents to make room for new admissions—often without informing the family.
- Unqualified or Unsafe Caregivers: When nursing homes engage in negligent hiring practices, they put residents at risk. Failing to conduct background checks can result in facilities hiring unqualified caregivers, as well as individuals who have committed crimes or been disciplined for nursing home abuse and neglect in the past.
These are just some of the many ways in which nursing homes put residents at risk when they fail to prevent personnel issues or take care of them when they arise. If you believe that you or your loved one was harmed due to a personnel issue at a nursing home or similar facility, you could be entitled to compensation for your damages, including any related medical expenses, financial losses, and pain and suffering.
Holding Liable Parties Accountable
Nursing homes have a responsibility to hire adequate, qualified staff and must address personnel issues promptly to prevent potential harm to residents. When they fail in this duty, they can be held legally accountable for any related losses suffered by residents and/or their families.
At the Law Office of Tom Wagstaff Jr., we are committed to holding long-term care facilities accountable when they fail to address personnel issues that end up causing harm to elderly residents. Our Kansas City nursing home personnel issue attorneys have extensive experience representing victims of all types of nursing home abuse and neglect. We have what it takes to effectively advocate for you.
Our Kansas City Inadequate Nursing Home Personnel Attorneys Can Help
If you or someone you love was injured, became ill, or was otherwise harmed due to personnel issues in a Kansas City nursing home, turn to the team at the Law Office of Tom Wagstaff Jr. Led by founding attorney, Tom Wagstaff, we have more than 25 years of experience and a long track record of success. Our firm offers a highly personal approach—we truly care about every client we serve, and we treat everyone with the care and respect they deserve.
We invite you to reach out to our team today to schedule a complimentary case review. We do not collect any legal fees unless/until we recover a settlement or verdict for you.
Call (816) 597-4556 or contact us online today to get started.
