Florida Lawmakers Revamp Laws for Employees of Nursing Homes

Florida lawmakers approved a plan just weeks ago that would bring about a change in staffing standards for nursing homes.

The Senate voted 28-9 to pass the bill (HB 1239), which was approved by the House in an 80-31 vote.

The staffing issues centered on changes for certified nursing assistants, who are the ones providing much of the care to residents in nursing homes.

The new bill would require certified nursing assistants to provide a minimum of 2 hours of direct care per resident per day. Supporters of the bill feel this gives more flexibility to nursing homes so that they can meet the needs of residents and address issues with staffing shortages.

Residents of nursing homes as well as assisted living facilities (ALFs) rely on nurses, caregivers, and other support staff at these facilities to provide for their most basic needs so that they can lead a decent quality of life. High turnover rates, inadequate training, and staff shortages can be a severe problem in these facilities, resulting in a diminished quality of care to residents. Over the years, nursing homes have failed to address these key issues with staffing, and the increasing aging population has only added to these existing issues, which has skyrocketed the number of cases involving nursing home neglect and abuse.

Our Citrus County Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Attorneys at Whittel & Melton know how big of a problem staffing issues are at nursing home facilities and how families feel outraged when they find out their loves ones have fallen victim to abuse or neglect as a direct result. Your loved one should not be left to suffer simply because a facility fails to have proper staffing levels or their staff is poorly trained. If your loved one was harmed at a nursing home or ALF in Inverness, Crystal River, Lecanto, Beverly Hills, Homosassa, Hernando, Dunnellon, Floral City, or the surrounding areas, then our Citrus County Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can fight aggressively to hold those liable fully accountable for their wrongdoing. We want to see that you get a sense of justice and make these negligent facilities take the appropriate steps to remedy this problem so no more families have to suffer for these same causes in the future.

Poor staffing can lead to various types of abuse and neglect in nursing homes and ALFs, such as:

• Bed sores
• Slip and Falls
• Infections
• Fractures
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration
• Choking
• Medication Errors
• Sexual Assault
• Burns
• Improper Medical Care
• Wandering Residents

Inadequate staffing often equates to poor quality staff. The sad reality is that many nursing homes and ALFs are so short staffed that they succumb to questionable hiring practices and may fail to conduct thorough background checks on applicants, which can place patients at greater risk of being physically, sexually, emotionally or financially abused.

If you have a loved one in a nursing home and think that they may be a victim of neglect or abuse, please do not hesitate to call us at 352-726-0078 or contact us online for a free consultation. We can launch an immediate investigation into the facility and make sure your loved one is protected and free from harm.