Loyalty to the nursing home or the patients?

Safety first. A local nursing home changed ownership and because all of the existing staff would endure a pay cut, many left. The facility was understaffed and as a result, an employee tried to move a patient from bed to chair using a Hoya lift without help when it is supposed to be a two-person job. The patient was dropped and was not checked for injury. A day later, the patient was clearly in distress and taken to the hospital where they determined that both legs had broken in the accident. Within one week, that patient died. Do what your heart and mind says is right.

IMHO, I think the loyalty should be directed to the patients because, after all, the Nursing Home is a business model.

I would go to the manager first. If he does nothing about it, I would report it to the dept. of health that handles nursing homes. People are put in the care of skilled nursing facilities for safekeeping and care, not to put their health and lives in danger. The staff should also be protected from injury. In both cases that you mentioned, if the families have grown children, they should go to the manager with the problems. Sometimes they pull more weight than, say, a patient, or elderly caretaker. As wrong as this is, I have seen that the children or another caretaker who is firm in dealing with the manager are the only ones that get any attention. Also, try speaking to the quality control nurse, if you think he/she is approachable. That manager should be fired, and I pray that he is!

OP, have you ever worked in the US? I noted you are in Israel. Can you explain how the healthcare system works in Israel?
Who is the state regulatory agency for healthcare facilities in Israel?
You stated there is no policy & procedure manual there for your to reference when you are on the job. Were P/P reviewed with you in orientation?
I hope you stay there and fight for your patient’s rights as you are a wonderful asset to that NH.

Oh gees. Maybe this is why people who care and work in NH go to work for private agencies. What a horrible situation. My thought initially is that your boss is grateful to have such a dedicated person, it's hard to find good people and so you were not let go, but the threat is there. Your manager is not the owner he reports to. The owner holds the moneybags and to replace broken items etc, means less $$. If you reveal an issue, and nothing happens, and then you report it anonymously, they will have reason to suspect you. This is an issue of ethics. Your concern is for the best interest of all. What if that person had fallen and broken something...you are responsible or will be the scapegoat, not the NH. What if that led to the person's demise? Of course the patient is not going to complain, from a place of fear while helpless in that place. Is that wheelchair still in rotation? Still broken? It really concerns me that someone found out. Who else knew beside you? Someone is ratting you out. Either at the nursing home or at the health dept. It's a dirty business. Whistle blower laws may come into play. If I had the funds I'd touch base with an elder law attorney and/or the long term care ombudsman when I was off duty and not in the facility and keep my mouth shut. Many jobs are out there for you, but of course it is a hassle. I'd hang tight and observe wrong-doing and keep a log and report it all, expecting my employment to terminate, but at the same time doing good for all to come after you. For me, the loyalty is first to the patients we care about. We have to stop letting the bastards win especially by intimidation.

Did you try calling/talking to maintenance? Should be their job to fix it. Brakes get problems bc they are used a lot, and man handled a bit. Usually an easy fix/part.
At least where I worked you could just call them. No chain of command to do that, and get it taken care of.
Are these the site's wheel chairs or the residents privately owned wheel chair? That might make a difference as to who fixes them. Altho if their bed broke, I doubt the home would tell the resident's family to pay for that. If that is the case family should at least get the part or fix it. Good luck. Stay safe!
The manager sounds like a jerk. You know he doesn't have your back which would worry me.

Use your home/ personal phone to contact the health department again. Start a log of discussion of Loyalty & especially being asked about or told "I know you made the complaint". Document & file with EEOC and perhaps ACLU. It is against the law for your employer to ask about who filed a complaint!!!

Next write an email or note...copy it..stating that per your conversation on (date) regarding loyalty to the NH, you will bring any future issues to her directly...and do so...but continue to document and see if you catch wind of others who are like minded but perhaps too afraid to file complaints...especially those told not to file but to go to staff. Try to get personal #, email, or other contact info...perhaps under another excuse. ( A picnic, event, you got extra tickets to something...). They can be called as witnesses if you get fired or any retaliation.
So at work act cooperative. But cover your butt with documents and report their illegal attempt to dissuade you. Keep doing the right thing.
In many states there is a 6 month protection period. If you don't go on record with EEOC about their illegal attempt to dissuade you from filing reports, then you won't be protected if they find an excuse to let you go.

I learned this the hard way. I didn't have a way to contact my co-workers for witnesses to my defense. They waited 6 months and then "wrote me up" for minor or made up infractions.
You might also reach out to you Congressional Reps office for guidance and support. First make sure they don't have personal relationship with the owners. They can be a great advocate, and provide protection from retaliation.

yes. you need to start a daily diary of your job and your supervisor is a moron and simple doesn't care.

document there names / time and whats unsafe and who u reported it to as well as time patient info and etc..
i used to work at a hospital and reason i tell you this is cause when thing will get real bad you need to know that you took this job to help people not be on the facility side and allow violations and patients that have trust in these places to get hurt and one day find yourself being blamed by the same creep who told you to go to him 1st.

Obviously this guy or lady doesn't care and believe me knows most chairs are broken and limited lifts on the floors that actually work. if that patient fell and hit his or her head, you would of took the blame and i seen aides get charged with felony in new york due to this and there supervisors (come to me 1st) left them to hang. The place can not retaliate or approach you saying i know its you that mDe the claim. if they do that again or fire you, you can sue them. You are protected by law but i would look for another place to work at while you are there now and just be careful as equipment they give you to use to help patients u i would personally exam 1st make sure there safe and working. That guy might set you up now, if he knows it was you i assume you told him it was he will single you out and document every day with names and hours. i went through some thing like this my 1st job and i sued and was protected by law. back then my old boss at a urology clinic made a settlement i accepted over 65k. he also had to pay for my lawyer and promoted me in the clinic that i left 5 months later and moved on to better place and people and docs that actually care for there patients.

dont let this guy give you bad habits and once u do its all over for that career u in and ur putting patients u chose to care for at risk. go speak with admin, find out who the owner is of this place, let them know what happened and what he said and how u feel like now ur job is at risk and u feel not safe nore do ur patients, and remind them patients that live there do not complain as of fear of retaliation and for there safety.

please always use a lift and never move anyone by yourself. thats why its always required to have two or more people move someone out of bed and into a wheelchair that you should always check its working properly before you place them in. good luck

Don’t have an answer other than to follow your heart. God bless you for caring. How sad...

Residents at nursing homes should not be in danger. Employees should not be put in a compromising position either. What a shame...

Maybe he didn't "know" it was you and just suspected it was.