Introduction
Malpractice and abuse in medical facilities are relatively common phenomena that frequently appear in hospitals and nursing homes. Sometimes it can be an accident or neglect, but in certain situations, medical staff, nurses specifically, can purposely overuse their power and professional position to harm patients. Most of the time, older adults might be the main target because of their helplessness or absence of relatives who could care for and protect them. The case of the Autumnwood in Livonia is no exception and demonstrates the terrific incident with the abuse of the older patient by the nurse. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the malpractice lawsuit in the healthcare facility and identify how to file a complaint against the offender.
Malpractice in Healthcare Institutions
Unfortunately, many acts of violence against the patients remain unnoticed because of the lack of evidence or close relatives that would control the individual’s state in the facility. However, the crime in the current situation was recognized because of the son’s concern, whose father stayed in the hospital for recovery after surgery. He put the hidden camera into his father’s chamber and saw that the nurse was throwing an 87 years old man from the wheelchair to the bed, grabbing him aggressively, and verbally insulting the patient (WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7, 2018). When I saw the footage, I felt profoundly devastated and sorry for this elderly who could not even speak and ask someone for help and what was happening to him. I also struggled to understand the motives of the nurse because it seemed that she was expressing her anger to someone who was not able to protect himself. Simultaneously, it was good to know that this man has a family that can fight for his rights and well-being while holding accountable the woman who abused him in the workplace.
I believe that it was preventable, but it is not as easy as it seems. The core of the problem is not in the specific nurse or the medical institution but the system and society in general. Older people are often perceived as not valuable members of the population, and some people with a lack of morals use it to their advantage. Moreover, I feel that older patients do not receive decent care and respect because they do not have much time to live because of their age. Although, Autumnwood in Livonia could assign a supervisor who would check and control the work of the nurses, especially regarding the disabled patients. In addition, before hiring an employee for the job, they would test the anger issues to ensure that patients will not face aggression from them.
Nevertheless, there is always a possibility of filing a complaint against the nurse or medical staff. For this occasion, it is necessary to contact the Board of Nursing of the state to receive a private consultation and instructions from them. Family members or close relatives can do it as well so that it is not required to be a patient of the medical facility. Depending on the situation, the incident could be reported to the specialists, but this is not mandatory in all the regions.
Conclusion
Overall, malpractice in healthcare institutions is not a rare phenomenon, and older people are the ones who suffer from this. While there is a possibility of a professional mistake, some staff overuse their power and purposely abuse the patients. In those situations, it is crucial to file a complaint against the offender and protect the one who became the victim of the mistreatment and expose the abuser.
Reference
WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7. (2018). Lawsuit accuses Autumnwood of Livonia of abusing elderly patient [Video]. YouTube.