Patient confined to bed suffered overnight on a bedpan due to lack of assistance.
In a recent development, an investigation has been launched into an incident of alleged negligent bodily harm at a nursing home in Innsbruck-Land, Tyrol, Austria. According to reports confirmed by a spokesperson for the Innsbruck public prosecutor's office, Julia Klingenschmid, the investigation involves three caregivers at the nursing home.
The incident, which occurred in December of the previous year, involved a bedridden resident who was left on a bedpan for over a day. The staff at the nursing home noticed the mistake the next day, but the resident, who had open wounds that took a long time to heal, had already suffered as a result.
Following the incident, the municipality, as the operating organization, received a complaint from the state's nursing department, requesting appropriate steps be considered regarding the matter. The team at the nursing home directly addressed the incident, according to the mayor, while the police have been tasked with further investigations.
Georg Berger, from the Association of Tyrolean Nursing Homes, expressed regret over the incident. Berger believed the issue was addressed openly and resolved, but acknowledged that mistakes like this are not common in nursing homes. The municipality issued warnings but no dismissals to the staff involved.
Interestingly, a caregiver from the affected station had already resigned before the complaint was filed, and the connection between the resignation and the incident remains unclear. The mayor stated that he was not initially informed about the incident.
This investigation serves as an initial suspicion for further investigation, and while there are no direct recent updates specifically about this case, checking local Tyrolean news outlets or official Austrian government or judicial statements might provide more information on the latest developments.
In the aftermath of the incident, discussions surrounding the role of science and health-and-wellness in the care of the elderly have gained traction. Specifically, there's increased focus on mental-health and aging, to ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future. The neglect of a bedridden resident, who was left on a bedpan for over a day, has raised concerns about the mental well-being of the elderly and the importance of proper caregiver training to prevent similar incidents in the future.
