Des Moines Nursing Home Use of Restraints Attorneys
Nurses and doctors in nursing homes have a responsibility to know what type of restraints a patient needs and to what degree the restraints should be applied. When a nursing home staff member applies chemical or physical restraints beyond what is medically necessary, they are acting unethically. Over-restraining a patient can have lasting effects and consequences for the individual who is restrained. If you or a loved nursing home resident in Des Moines, Iowa has been restrained beyond what is medically necessary, contact LaMarca Law Group, P.C. to set up a consultation with one of our attorneys. We will review the details of your nursing home abuse case and help guide you through the legal process.
The Des Moines unnecessary use of restraints lawyers at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. have represented hundreds of nursing home residents in Des Moines and all over the state of Iowa. Our firm has garnered a national reputation for work on behalf of victims abused in nursing homes. We have won noteworthy settlements and verdicts for our clients and are prepared to do the same for you. Our lawyers have been rated as Super Lawyers, are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and have been listed in Best Lawyers.
The legal team at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. is deeply sympathetic towards the elderly who have been forced to undergo trauma and abuse in nursing homes. We are dedicated to providing our clients and their families with compassion and guidance during the legal process.
If your loved one has been improperly restrained with chemical or physical devices, contact LaMarca Law Group, P.C. today by calling us at (515) 705-0233.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
If an elderly loved one has been physically or chemically restrained to a degree that is unnecessary, we certainly believe you should consult with a nursing home abuse lawyer. A nurse or doctor who oversteps such a boundary is acting unethically and should be reprimanded for their unlawful actions. Your loved one may be ashamed, apprehensive, or anxious about initiating a case against their caregivers. By taking action on their behalf, you can put an end to this type of treatment and may be able to recover compensation as well.
Unfortunately, you’re unlikely to be awarded the full compensation your loved one deserves without the guidance of an attorney. The legal process can be challenging to understand, especially when you’re up against a negligent nursing home. Our firm is familiar with the ways that nursing homes might avoid taking responsibility for their actions. Let us handle the paperwork, phone calls, and negotiations so that your loved one can recover from the trauma they have suffered.
Facts About Patient Restraints
According to Registered Nursing, healthcare environments use restraints as a last resort and have the goal of minimizing the use of restraints on clients. Restraints are used to “prevent falls, to prevent injury to self and others, and to protect medically necessary tubes and catheters such as an intravenous line and a tracheostomy tube.”
A restraint is “any physical or chemical means or device that restricts client’s freedom to and ability to move about and cannot be easily removed or eliminated by the client.”
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a physical restraint is “any manual method or physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached to or adjacent to the resident’s body that the individual cannot remove easily which restricts freedom of movement or normal access to one’s body.”
A chemical restraint is defined as “any drug used for discipline or convenience and not required to treat medical symptoms.”
Restraint orders completed by a doctor are required to use restraints on a patient. Exceptions are permitted under extreme emergency situations where a nurse can apply restraints until a doctor’s order is received or until the patient’s behavior is no longer considered dangerous. Nurses are supposed to monitor the client while they are being restrained to determine their response to the restraint, their mental status, and their physical status. In order from least restrictive to most restrictive, restraint types include mitten, wrist, vest, arm and leg, and leather restraints. Registered Nursing advises that “restraints should NEVER be used for staff convenience or client punishment.”
The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital identifies patients’ rights and reiterates that restraints are not to be used as punishment and are a tool that should be utilized only as a last resort. Restraints must only be applied to limit the movements that could cause harm to a patient or their provider, and they must be removed once the patient and provider are safe. Restrained patients must be able to use the restroom or a bedpan, must be kept clean and must be provided with the food and fluids they require. Patients in restraints are also supposed to be kept as comfortable as possible and should be restrained to avoid injury to themselves.
Contact Us
The nursing home abuse lawyers of LaMarca Law Group, P.C. are committed to helping abuse victims get the justice if they’ve been mistreated. If a nursing home provider has applied chemical or physical restraints beyond what is medically necessary, contact us today. We know how difficult and traumatic it can be to recover from the emotional and physical pain of abuse. That is why we have dedicated our careers to ensuring that the elders of our community are well-represented. If you or a loved one has been excessively restrained in Des Moines, Iowa, we advise you to seek our legal help right away. Contact the Des Moines nursing home abuse lawyers at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. for a consultation.
Chat live with us, fill out our email form, or call us at (515) 705-0233 to set up a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys.
