One of the responsibilities of a nursing home is to provide medications to patients. If a nursing home fails to do so, this can be considered a sign of abuse or neglect. This is especially the case if employees at the nursing home fail to provide medications out of frustration or burnout.

Nursing Homes are Responsible for Administering Medications

Most patients at nursing homes require a series of medications every day. It is not the responsibility of the patient but of the nursing home staff to make sure that each patient receives their medication. Depending on the medication, the patient might experience painful or debilitating symptoms and may even suffer permanent injuries or death as a result of a failure to administer medications.

Why Some Nursing Homes Fail to Administer Medications

Nursing home staff can fail to administer medications for various reasons:

• Improper training
• A mistake resulting from an overworked employee
• Actual malice

In some cases, nursing home staff become burned out and exhausted. When this occurs, they might decide to take their frustrations out on their patients. In other cases, the nursing home staff might become frustrated when working with a patient who is confused or has memory problems. As a result, the patient may be neglected in various ways including not receiving proper medication.

How to Respond

If you believe that your loved one is not being taken care of properly and is not receiving their medication, you will want to consult with a nursing home abuse lawyer for help. Also, if you believe that there is an emergency, you should contact 911 so your loved one will receive emergency care.

A Lawyer Can Help

If the problem is not an emergency, a nursing home abuse lawyer will guide you through the options you have. There are laws that govern the type of care that a nursing home is required to provide. A nursing home abuse lawyer will already be familiar with these laws and will be able to give you better advice more quickly.

For example, in some states, a nursing home that is administering drugs must create a drug regimen that must be reviewed by a licensed pharmacist. If your attorney is able to prove that the nursing home failed to properly administer the medication to your loved one, you may be able to file a lawsuit to receive compensation. Not only will this pay for the medical care of your loved one but will also hold the nursing home accountable.