Hazards of Overusing Catheters in Nursing Home Residents

Some residents are mobile enough to go to the bathroom on their own or with some walking assistance from employees.  Employees who do not want to spend time escorting residents to and from the bathroom will often use catheters as a way to avoid doing that extra work.  They will catheterize residents and leave the catheter in place so that they don’t have to interrupt their own time with helping residents get to the bathroom on time.  This can also help reduce accidents, further reducing any extra work for employees.  Since a catheter is introduced into the body, using them too frequently increases the chances of bladder infections that can even spread to the kidneys.  In nursing home residents with failing immune systems, even a simple bladder infection can turn into a battle for life.  Overusing catheters can also cause irritation of the bladder and other similar effects that can result in pain or discomfort for nursing home residents.  If the procedure is not done correctly, damage can even be done to a fragile resident’s body.  Catheterization can be uncomfortable for residents and it can also cause problems, so there is no good reason for employees to do the procedure unnecessarily.  If you feel your loved one was catheterized without a good reason, contact a Riverside nursing home abuse lawyer to find out what your next step is and what you need to do to take action against abusive staff members.  An experienced Orange County nursing home abuse attorney will be able to give you advice and direction how to proceed with your claim against the nursing home and abusive employees so you can stop the abuse for all of the residents.