If you are an LNC who did your clinical work in a hospital, you’ll find many challenges in analyzing a legal case involving a nursing home. Tiffany Hinds, an LNC who has extensive experience working in nursing homes, provides a wealth of information.

Among the challenges she describes are medical records that are unique to long-term care environments. She also emphasizes the importance on having information on the government-issued rating of the facility.
The nursing home environment is prone to situations such as frequent falls and pressure ulcers. An LNC must analyze every aspect of the case to determine if liability is involved.

In a broader sense, the LNC needs to understand the particular occupational dynamics of a nursing home. CNAs, who are largely overworked and underpaid, comprise the bulk of the work force. Their high turnover places a burden on the nursing home in terms of the need to train and integrate the new employees into the system. Tiffany emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the CNA’s vital contribution to the facility. She also compares the roles of LPNs and RNs.

The pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of nursing homes across the country. You can expect increasing number of legal cases to occur. This podcast can help you gain a better understanding of the issues involved.

• Why is the Minimum Data Set (MDS) so essential for an LNC involved in a long-term care case so important to understand?
• What are F-tags, and why are they critical?
• What situations or conditions are most prone to lawsuits?
• In an investigation of a case, what steps should be taken?
• How can a nursing home administrator or supervisor encourage staff to be honest about reporting errors or incidents?
• What causes high turnover of CNAs in nursing homes, and how does that affect overall quality of care?