A 61-year-old male nursing home resident pled guilty to - and was sentenced to 45 years in prison for - the rape and murder of an 80-year-old female resident of the same nursing home in Indianapolis.
According to court documents, a nursing home employee entered the victim's room on the morning of February 02, 2022, and found the man naked on top of the victim and holding a pillow over her face. The woman died of asphyxiation.
The family of the woman sued the nursing home for negligence and wrongful death, alleging that poor staffing and "horrendous" conditions led to the death. They alleged the nursing home permitted "a culture of crime, drugs, alcohol abuse, and poor treatment of residents and patients."
Government data shows that nursing staff turnover at the facility was approximately 79 percent overall and 92 percent among registered nurses.
Medicare ranked the nursing home as "much below average" following a January 2020 inspection in which the facility received 19 citations. Marvin Ang "61-Year-Old Nursing Home Resident Rapes, Murders 80-Year-Old Invalid; Gets 45-Year Sentence" ibtimes.com (Jun. 23, 2023).
Commentary and Checklist
The family is alleging negligence – that the wrongful death resulted from the facility's breach of its duty to provide safe and healthy living quarters for residents. The negligent supervision of residents – because of insufficient staffing - allowed the perpetrator to commit the crime against his vulnerable co-resident.
The impact of insufficient staffing in healthcare organizations can lead to multiple liabilities including: medication errors, claims of inadequate care and supervision, increased mortality risk, insufficient safety and security management, as well as employee workplace injuries.
Insufficient staffing, ironically, leads to even more turnover. Those who leave also cite the negative impact on their health and well-being from being unable to consistently deliver quality care.
What steps can healthcare organizations take to help combat staff shortage?
· Have a staffing plan that includes ongoing recruiting
· Hire part-time workers to allow full-time workers more time off
· Improve pay and benefits
· Consider more favorable work scheduling
· Allow for PTO
· Encourage staff to take advantage of mental health benefits
· Have on-site programs to encourage mental well-being
· Encourage staff to participate in workplace problem-solving and solutions
· Create and implement an equitable wage system and benefits
· Regularly assess staff duties, with an eye toward unburdening staff members who are overwhelmed.
https://www.intelycare.com/facilities/resources/how-to-fix-short-staffing-in-nursing/
