Lawsuit Filed Against a Wyoming Nursing Home for Negligence
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Post-Operative Care of Resident
The family of a former resident of a Wyoming nursing home are suing the nursing home and its corporate affiliates alleging negligence in the post-operative care of the resident. The suit is seeking damages in an amount to be determined by the court if the negligence is proven.
The resident was admitted into the facility on May 30, following spinal surgery that the surgeon asserts was successful.
According to the lawsuit, the resident’s physician provided medical orders for the nursing home to clean, dress, and monitor the resident’s surgical wound. The facility was also directed to manage the resident’s post-surgery medications and ensure that he was provided with adequate nutrition and fluids.
The suit alleges that the facility failed to monitor and routinely change the resident’s bandages, did not give him his ordered medications, and did not ensure that he drank enough fluids.
The resident’s family noticed a decline in his condition several days after he was admitted into the facility, and on June 6, the resident was taken to the emergency room at the hospital where doctors became concerned that he had developed sepsis related to a wound infection, was dehydrated and later suffered renal failure and other health complications.
Compliance Perspective
Failure by a facility admitting residents for post-operative care to follow physicians’ instructions regarding care, and failure to administer ordered medications, may jeopardize the lives of residents due to wound infection, dehydration, and other health complications and may be considered provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding post-surgical sub-acute care, compliance with physician’s orders, performance of wound care, and provision of adequate nutrition and hydration.
- Train staff to follow physicians’ orders regarding care to be provided to post-surgical and other residents and to administer the medications that are prescribed for the residents.
- Periodically audit the physician’s orders for care and medication of residents to ensure that those orders are being followed. Audit residents with orders for wound care to ensure it is preformed according to frequency and specifics of the individual resident’s needs.
