Identifying Bed Sores in Nursing Homes
If a nursing home's neglect has result in a bedsore or pressure ulcer for you or a loved one, find out if compensation may be available.>>REQUEST A FREE CONSULTATION
Nursing homes owe a duty to their residents to provide them with the proper standard of care given their condition. When a nursing home fails to provide appropriate care, they can be held liable for the injuries suffered by the resident. Nursing home bed sores are often caused by failure of the facility to identify early signs of pressure sores and prevent the development of more serious decubitus ulcers.
In many cases, a nursing home bed sores could have been prevented with proper care or sufficient staffing. Experts agree that the risk of nursing home bed sores can be reduced with regular repositioning of residents. In addition, residents confined to a bed or wheelchair must be inspected consistently for early warning signs.
Bedsores can be life-threatening if they penetrate through the deep layers of skin and muscle or result in an infection. In severe cases, the infection can reach the bloodstream resulting in sepsis.
STAGES OF BEDSORES: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Early signs of bed sores will include red and irritated skin. Once identified, these residents need to be positioned to keep pressure from being placed on that area of the skin until the normal color returns. Failure to properly identify bed sores in a nursing home could result in the development of large open, bleeding and oozing wounds which could lead to a life-threatening infection.
Bedsores or pressure sores develop overtime and are usually placed into categories according to the severity of the damage. The bed sore stages can range from mild redness to destruction of the bone and muscle tissue.
- Stage I Bedsore: Surface of the skin is red and irritated
- Stage II Bedsore: Blisters or shallow craters form where the outer layer of skin dies
- Stage III Bedsore: Sores have entered the deeper layers of skin and often appear as a large open, bleeding and oozing wound
- Stage IV Bedsore: The most severe stage, where the sores have penetrated all layers of the skin, exposing muscle or bone
TREATMENT OF BEDSORES
Treatment of deep bed sores which have progressed through the inner layers of skin is difficult. Surgery is often not a treatment option given the diminished physical condition of the older nursing home resident. Therefore, prevention of bedsores through proper nursing home care is crucial.
Treatments for bed sores may include:
- rinsing with saline or another cleansing agent
- removal of dead materials surrounding the sore
- hyperbaric oxygen treatment
- surgical skin grafts
NURSING HOME BED SORE LAWSUIT EVALUATION
The lawyers at Saiontz, Kirk and Miles, P.A. investigate and review potential nursing home bed sore lawsuits nationwide. Nursing home cases are pursued to obtain compensation for the injuries suffered and operate as an important safeguard in our society to protect the rights of nursing home residents and make sure that proper standards are followed.
If a friend or loved one has developed a bedsore while in a nursing home, request a free consultation and legal claim evaluation to determine if they may have a claim. Our nursing home lawyers have experience handling injury claims and can review the circumstances surrounding the treatment to determine if your loved one and family may be entitled to compensation.
There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained. However, every claim has a deadline, so it is important that you review any potential claim with a qualified nursing home neglect lawyer as soon as possible.>>CLICK HERE TO OBTAIN A FREE CONSULTATION AND CLAIM EVALUATION<<
