New North Carolina Law Protects Nursing Home Residents from Infection

A tragic incident at a Wayne County assisted living center two years ago has led to a new North Carolina nursing home law that supporters hope will better protect residents from infectious diseases.

In 2009, six different residents at Glen Care Mount Olive, an assisted living facility in Wayne County, became infected by hepatitis B and died. When investigators looked into the spread of the fatal disease, they discovered that the staff at the facility had been re-using dirty finger-stick devices and other instruments on patients with diabetes. After initially denying their poor practices, the nursing home paid a hefty fine.

After the incident, North Carolina lawmakers jumped into action, writing new legislation that requires assisted living staffers to undergo training related to infection disease prevention and clean and safe practices for diabetes patients. Other states have similar regulations in an attempt to combat the spread of infectious diseases by untrained nursing home staffers.

Under the new law, 30,000 medical technicians and staff members will receive mandatory training related to clean practices and infection control. The training, which was developed by North Carolina’s Health Service Regulation and Public Health, will give those working with diabetic patients 15 hours of knowledge and experience.

Has your loved one been harmed by an infection contracted at a North Carolina nursing home or assisted living facility? Speak with a Raleigh nursing home neglect attorney today about your case.