There is some good news for Miami residents. According to a recent nationwide study, 18 Miami-Dade and Broward County hospitals are worthy of an A grade when it comes to patient safety. The study, by Leapfrog Group, took into account several factors, including the occurrence of patient death, bed sores and hospital falls. Yet, the news is not all good. Six hospitals in the area received a C grade and, since the study did not give grades lower than a C, three hospitals received a "grade pending" rating. Those hospitals were given time to improve their scores.
Nursing home neglect suspected in one man's death
Nursing homes throughout the nation, and in Florida, serve an important purpose in our society. These institutions are meant to provide quality care to the elderly when that care cannot be received at home. Families rightly expect nursing homes to treat their patients like family. This means safety should come first.
Florida hospital ignored pregnant woman's pleas
A northwest Florida mental hospital is under fire after staff failed to take action when a patient stated she was going into labor. Desperate for help, the patient called 911 twice, but a hospital supervisor told the 911 operator that the patient was not going into labor. When the woman's baby was born, he suffered severe brain damage. The boy is not expected to be able to breathe, walk or talk on his own. He is now on life support.
Lack of nurses in Florida hospital compromised patient safety
A recent state inspection of a Florida hospital has led to a citation for a shortage of nurses on staff. The review found nine nursing units were at least one nurse short of state mandated standards, which is considered a risk to patient safety. Though the hospital has hired enough nurses to fill the gap since the report was filed, these state inspections occur only periodically, and many southern Florida hospitals may face similar staffing shortfalls for extensive periods of time.
