It’s amazing that there are so many people in recovery from addictions to alcohol and other drugs. And, it’s all because of someone else’s mistake. Years ago a friend of my grandmother met an alcoholic who was a certified addictions therapist. They had an unusual bond, because they both had problems with their addictions. The therapist was successful at getting the addicted person off the drugs, but the person left the state to live in another one. Because he could no longer control his addiction, he was in real trouble again and was arrested.
This friend of my grandmother never recovered. She had been through the crack of a whip too many times. This time around she was facing the real possibility of jail. Friends and family were calling her daily, but she wouldn’t hear. I believe this friend of my grandmother could have been saved had she been a certified counselor.
Having a certified Nursing Assistant on staff allows my friend some relief from her feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. She knows that there is someone who knows what she’s feeling and is ready to help her. Being a certified Nursing Assistant also keeps the AED (automated external defibrillator) handy in case she has to treat an addicted patient with a cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. If this ever happens, it can save her life!
Another friend of mine, who is a Registered Nurse, shares a similar story. She worked as a Registered Nurse for 20 years before becoming a CNA. When she left the profession she got a job as a CNA with a nursing agency. She loved it! All of sudden, she found herself in a situation where she had become a caretaker for an addict.
What she didn’t know was the AED she left at her nursing job contained an illegal narcotic. She later discovered that this illegal drug was the cause of her loved one’s death. She was charged with negligent homicide and faces up to 15 years in jail.
When I was a nursing assistant, I used to take care of other patients who were addicted to drugs. It was not easy. I saw my patients fall asleep on the floors of their beds, I saw them vomiting on the floors of their beds, I saw them break into tears as they hallucinated or had psychotic breaks. The hardest thing for me was knowing that my patient loved me and needed me, but that I couldn’t provide the love and support they needed.
If you are facing criminal charges for negligence or you find yourself in a position where you are a certified nursing assistant and you are facing medical neglect charges, contact a registered attorney who deals with cases like these. Ask your attorney what the consequences are for being a certified nursing assistant who endures medical neglect. This is not a position to be ignored.
In cases such as this you need a good criminal defense attorney. You will have to go to court to prove your innocence. You don’t want to plead guilty or no contest. Your trial could be costly and time consuming and you do not want to lose your job over medical malpractice charges.
You may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if you are a CNA who has been injured on the job. A lawyer can help you file the appropriate claim to recover lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. Your medical bills could include a bill for a rehabilitation center, a physical therapist, prescriptions, and more. Your rehabilitation center needs to know that you are not just healing from your addiction to pain medication, but you need to heal physically as well. Your attorney can give you advice on which CNA program in your area may pay for your rehab, which may help you avoid spending thousands of dollars at a costly nursing home.
If you do get thrown into a nursing home, you may not have any other option but to accept whatever is given to you. This is why it is imperative that you have legal representation. The nursing home may have been negligent and you can receive restitution for your pain and suffering. A good attorney can make sure you receive just compensation.