Most medical devices are tested and proven to be safe for use by elderly people living in long-term care homes. The exceptions are certain models of portable bed rails that are linked to several long-term care deaths. Serious injuries and deaths frequently lead to cases of nursing home negligence in Ohio.
The dangers of portable bed rails
Portable bed rails are installed with the option of being removed and reattached. This portability makes it easy for the rails to detach and increases the risk of falling to the ground. If the rails cannot be removed at all, the user becomes trapped within the device and the mattress, which has caused asphyxiation in some users. Furthermore, companies tend to exaggerate the safety and efficiency of bed rails in their marketing campaigns.
Prevalence of long-term care deaths
High rates of severe injuries and deaths caused by rails are found among residents in long-term care (LTC) homes. The Consumer Products Safety Commission is warning LTC providers not to use portable bed rails and discard the ones they’re using. The organization has linked several deaths of LTC residents to the use of defective rails.
Cases of nursing home negligence
Nursing home negligence is a real risk in long-term care homes. Nursing home staff who know of dangers in homes are required to report them. Staff members can be charged with negligence and have personal injury claims filed against them.
Portable bed rails are proven by safety organizations to be dangerous and have caused the deaths of several LTC residents. The deaths are due to falls and entrapment that occurs when the rails malfunction. Nursing home staff are told to discard the rails or face liability for their residents’ injuries or deaths.