It 's just a matter of time before another nursing home fire claims life of another patient. Although less known, hundreds of elderly people receiving burns each year during their admission to nursing homes specialist. In any case you look at the situation, fires in nursing homes remain a major - but overlooked threat to patient safety nursing home.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) from 1994 to 1999 was about 2,300 nurseshouses reported some sort of fire on their farm every year. Equally disturbing is that the GAO has found the number of serious deficiencies in nursing home fire has increased steadily from 2004 to 2007.
In response, security, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) now requires a smoke detector in each patient room and public areas. In addition, the automatic sprinkler systems should be installed in new plants andthe adaptation of existing plants over the next four years.
While regulatory compliance, CMS can help reduce the risk of fires in nursing homes specialist, owners and operators should evaluate all activities and determine what policies can be implemented to further promote patient safety.
Step # 1: Eliminate smoking in nursing homes
Smoking in nursing homes can best be seen as counterproductive to the health of the patient. Maybe better, smoking in Nursinghousing is a threat to all patients and staff. Even if verified, there is an increased risk of fire that allows smoking in nursing homes than those that do not allow.
I therefore propose that nursing homes force patients to discard their cigarettes or to find alternative facilities.
In addition to problems related to fire safety, allowing patients to smoke in a nursing home staff sent to the management of patients who choose to smokeand away from the task of providing nursing care experts.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the elderly over three times more likely to suffer a smoking-related compared to their younger colleagues. No need to look far to see examples of smoking incidents in nursing homes and assisted living:
Dallas, Texas woman died in a fire in an assisted living facility. The fire inspector determined the firestarted as a result of "misuse of smoking materials'
Chicago, Illinois-Two patients died at Hampton Plaza Nursing inhaling smoke. The fire department concluded that the fire was started by smoking materials stored in the patient's wardrobe.
Whittier, California, a nursing home patient with dementia lit his cigarette in an attempted stabbing. An investigation into the case revealed the staff did not know that the man was outsidestructure.
Lebanon, Indiana An oxygen-dependent patient in a fire in a housing complex, as the oxygen tank exploded while they smoked.
I doubt there will be nursing homes en masse to their policy of 'no smoke without change overnight. Meanwhile, the possibility of steps to a policy of smoke that is realistic to implement and improve patient safety to develop. Here are some tips to develop a policy on smoking:
Designate a smoking areapatients who coached and well ventilated.
The smoking ban in all rooms of patients. Studies have shown that the risk of fire increases when people smoke in bed.
Establishment of a policy of evacuation in case of fire or emergency. also inform all staff and patients in the location of fire extinguishers and teach them how to use it.
Keep all smoking materials such as lighters and matches are held by staff and locked at alltimes.
Provide ashtrays and smoking aprons (clothing apparel made of fireproof material reduces the risk of a stray light axis of a patient)
To develop a smoking cessation program.
Make sure that the property has smoke detectors and a sprinkler system.
Both patients smoke only when accompanied by staff.
Development of a series of consequences for patients who fail to follow the policy.
Write your smoking structure and give a copy toall patients and their families.
While the guidelines referred to above may reduce the risk of residential fires in nursing, so the smoke is still one of the easiest ways to improve the overall standard of living for all patients and nursing staff.
Jonathan Rosenfeld is a Chicago attorney who handled cases of abuse and abandonment in the Midwest and across the country. Mr. Rosenfeld's work in the following types of cases:
bed sores bed sores, decubitusSwear
You
Dehydration / Malnutrition
Medication Errors
Impacted bowel
Sexual Abuse
Medical errors
Feel free to contact Jonathan for a free case evaluation. (888) 424-5757
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