Memphis, Tennessee Area Nursing Homes well below national standard
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as outlined in a recent article in Memphis’ Commercial Appeal, nearly half of the nursing homes in Shelby County, Tennessee scored well below average. Of the 31 nursing homes in the County, 15 received scores of 1-2 stars out of a possible 5 stars.
The most common errors bringing the scores down included, but were certainly not limited to, medication errors, mislabeled medications, understaffing, improper use of physical restraints, and unnecessary use of catheters. Shortcomings in these areas can lead to drastic results for nursing home residents. Sadly, nursing home neglect is easly avoidable.
According to the area’s long-term care ombudsman, Sandy Smegelsky, who is an advocate for nursing home patients and their families, the lack of quality nurses is a major issue and contributing factor to the low scores in the area. The lack of a sufficiently sized, trained and dedicated nursing staff makes it almost impossible for a nursing home to provide the kind of quality care that nursing home residents deserve. Naturally, if the facility is understaffed and the staff that is available has to work beyond what should be expected, that can lead to the errors in medication and treatment that lower the overall scores for the facilities.
Abuse and neglect are the natural result of systematic problems within nursing homes. The lack of adequate staff, poorly trained and/or supervised staff, and overworked staff all contribute to an environment where care and treatment of the elderly is jeopardized.
At the Higgins Firm, we represent individuals and their families in Tennessee who have been the victim of nursing home abuse and neglect.
Author Bio
Jim Higgins, founder of the Higgins Firm, is a seasoned personal injury attorney with deep roots in Nashville, Tennessee. A 4th generation Nashvillian, Jim carries on the legal legacy of his father, a judge for over 30 years. After graduating from the University of Memphis School of Law, Jim’s career began on the other side of the courtroom, defending insurance companies and learning their tactics for minimizing settlements. However, he soon realized his true calling was fighting for the rights of the injured, and for the past several years, he has exclusively represented plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Since then, his dedication and skill have earned him membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization limited to attorneys who have secured million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Licensed to practice in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Georgia, Jim focuses on personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. His exceptional work has been recognized by his peers, earning him a spot on the Super Lawyers list from 2021 to 2024, a distinction awarded to only a select group of accomplished attorneys in each state.
