Awareness of Interaction Protocols in Nursing Homes
Document Type
Panel Presentation
Start Date
21-4-2017 3:00 PM
End Date
21-4-2017 4:15 PM
Keywords
abuse, institutions, laws
Biography
My name is Rachael Deck, I am a senior with three majors and a minor here at Marshall University. My majors include Psychology, Sociology, and English with a minor in Criminal Justice. I currently work at a nursing home, so my interest in the public's awareness of WV laws regarding nursing home abuse stemmed from interactions with my co-workers/personal experience. My passion for helping others has influenced my desire to help find ways to stop nursing home abuse.
Major
Sociology
Advisor for this project
Dr. Marty Laubach
Abstract
Over the past few years, the public’s/staff’s lack of awareness on nursing home abuse has increased. Many do not know how to recognize what constitutes as abuse or are aware of the laws protecting nursing home residents. As a result of lack of protocol awareness, nursing home staff are continuing to abuse residents. With laws in place to keep residents from harm, why is abuse ongoing? Many theorists/researchers suggest nursing home abuse is easily perpetrated as a result of inadequate staffing skills, understaffing working environments, lax in enforcing federal laws, or the misuse of social media and its’ influence on staff members. This study will demonstrate that creating stricter laws and increasing staff salaries are not solutions. In this research study, focus will be emphasized on West Virginia and statewide laws. I will propose the theory that nursing home abuse policies are not effective for all of the above reasons, in addition to and most importantly because of the lack of awareness/interpretation of the regulations regarding abuse, interagency coordination, and the inadequate reinforcement of state laws regarding nursing home abuse policies. This study will include hand-written interviews of nursing home staff employees, college students, and the general public, in-person surveys and online surveys. The malfunctions within interactions of internal and external subdivisions of nursing homes will provide a deeper understanding of the etiology of abuse while also identifying areas of miscommunication.
Awareness of Interaction Protocols in Nursing Homes
Over the past few years, the public’s/staff’s lack of awareness on nursing home abuse has increased. Many do not know how to recognize what constitutes as abuse or are aware of the laws protecting nursing home residents. As a result of lack of protocol awareness, nursing home staff are continuing to abuse residents. With laws in place to keep residents from harm, why is abuse ongoing? Many theorists/researchers suggest nursing home abuse is easily perpetrated as a result of inadequate staffing skills, understaffing working environments, lax in enforcing federal laws, or the misuse of social media and its’ influence on staff members. This study will demonstrate that creating stricter laws and increasing staff salaries are not solutions. In this research study, focus will be emphasized on West Virginia and statewide laws. I will propose the theory that nursing home abuse policies are not effective for all of the above reasons, in addition to and most importantly because of the lack of awareness/interpretation of the regulations regarding abuse, interagency coordination, and the inadequate reinforcement of state laws regarding nursing home abuse policies. This study will include hand-written interviews of nursing home staff employees, college students, and the general public, in-person surveys and online surveys. The malfunctions within interactions of internal and external subdivisions of nursing homes will provide a deeper understanding of the etiology of abuse while also identifying areas of miscommunication.
