Case study: Mrs Tran, 87, is a resident in an aged care home. She had a minor fall that left her less mobile and spending more time in bed. She had a care plan, but it wasn’t updated to show this change. As a result, Mrs Tran developed bed sores because she wasn’t being repositioned regularly in her bed. An aged care worker noticed early signs of pressure injury and raised a concern through the care home’s incident management system.
Meeting obligations: In line with the obligations for residential aged care homes, the home has an incident handling system in place. The aged care worker’s report started the process to review the incident. This meant the provider could find the gap in updating Mrs Tran’s care plan and address it. To give Mrs Tran the care she needed straight away, she received care from the on-site registered nurse, required in residential aged care homes. The aged care worker met their obligations by acting in line with the Code of Conduct to act on their concerns about Mrs Tran’s care.
Outcomes: The provider was able to address Mrs Tran’s care needs quickly, with workers who have the skills and experience to notice and respond to the issue. This stopped Mrs Tran from being injured any further. Her care plan was updated. The provider also met their obligations on incident response, staff conduct, and clinical oversight.
Disclaimer
This publication is not legal advice and must not be used or relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. Users must seek their own independent legal advice in relation to their particular circumstances.