Oklahoma Bill to Protect Elderly in Nursing Homes in Danger, May Not Make It
An Oklahoma bill that would protect nursing home patients by requiring a fingerprint background check program for long-term care facilities is in jeopardy of dying a quiet death on the Senate floor. According to a news report in Tulsa World, House Bill 2582 sets up a system that would fingerprint all new employees applying to certain jobs in nursing homes and other care facilities. The fingerprints would then be submitted to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) for a national criminal background check.
If the employee had a prior disqualifying offense, such as abuse by caretaker, that would prevent the person from working at the nursing home or care facility. Currently, prospective applicants for nursing home jobs have a criminal background check on their name only. Also, the background check is only done statewide and does not include other states unless the employee discloses that he or she worked in another state. The bill has passed the House, but has not been heard in the Senate. The bill is in danger of dying if it does not get a hearing in the Senate soon.
Several groups, including the American Association for Retired Persons, the Oklahoma Aging Partnership, and other industry associations for nursing homes, have endorsed this bill, which will go a long way in protecting Oklahoma seniors against OK nursing home abuse. The current system does not do a good job of protecting nursing home residents because the background checks are not thorough. A 2005 study found that 52 nursing aides who were certified to practice in Oklahoma had a criminal record in 16 other states.
It is a nursing home’s responsibility to ensure that employees are properly screened before they are allowed to care for or interact with residents. If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, an experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse lawyer at Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (405) 705-5050 to find out how we can help.