Nursing Home MalpracticeBedsore Malpractice Lawyer

Nursing homes should conduct an evaluation of their residents to determine their risk of getting a bedsore or pressure ulcer. By assessing the resident’s risk, the nursing home should provide a level of care commensurate with the risk. The following factors increase a resident’s risk of developing a bedsore:

• Residents that are unable to get out of bed on their own.
• Residents with decreased mobility.
• The presence of a level one or mild bedsore.
• The quality of the resident’s skin.
• Poor nutritional status.
• Increased skin moisture.
• Poor blood flow and oxygenation of the tissues.
• Increased body temperature.
• Advanced age.
• Poor sensory perception.
• Poor general health status.

Residents should also receive a skin assessment as part of the process of evaluating a resident’s risk of suffering from a bed sore or pressure ulcer. A proper skin assessment includes temperature, swelling, changes in tissue consistency, blanching etc.

The lawyers at Patterson Law offer free consultations to assess whether bedsores or pressure ulcers may have developed as a result of malpractice. Call 301-383-1522 for a free bedsore injury consultation with a Top 100 Maryland Super Lawyer and a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney.

Pressure ulcers can and should be prevented. Preventative skin care is important. A resident’s skin should be kept dry and clean. A pH balanced skin cleanser should be used. Skin that is at risk for a pressure ulcer should not be rubbed or massaged vigorously. Skin should be promptly cleaned after an episode of incontinence. Steps should be taken to minimize periods of incontinence. Residents need to receive proper nutrition.

Repositioning and mobilization is important to prevent bedsores or pressure ulcers. Repositioning a resident is done to reduce the time and amount of pressure over areas susceptible to bed sores. The frequency of repositioning depends on the individuals:

• Strength of tissue and skin.
• Their independent level of activity and mobility.
• Their general medical condition.
• Their level of comfort.
• Treatment and care objectives.
• Level of incontinence.

Repositioning should be done with the purpose of minimizing pressure to vulnerable areas. The repositioning should be done in a manner to avoid shear forces and friction. The resident should not be positioned against medical devices. Special equipment should be used for certain patients for a safe reposition. Repositioning is very important to care for existing bed sores. Higher level mattresses may be needed for patients with existing bedsores or that are at a high risk for developing bedsores.

Pressure ulcers complicate a nursing home or longterm care patient’s care. The wounds require cleaning, debridement, and pain management. Bedsores are also prone to infection. This is particularly true for bedsores that may have originated, in part, due to a resident’s incontinence. Treating an infection aggressively may be required to prevent sepsis. There are multiple types of dressings that should be considered to promote healing, reduce the chances of infection and to improve a resident’s comfort.

Treatment for bedsores and pressure ulcers is often painful and difficult for residents that suffer limited mobility. The treatment may include ultrasound, negative pressure wound therapy, hydrotherapy, oxygen therapy and surgery. Vulnerable populations are most at risk for bed sores and conditions such as a recent surgery, obesity, diabetes, advanced age, spinal cord injuries or patients under critical care make the treatment and management of bedsores very difficult. These populations tend to suffer greater injuries and sometimes death as a result of the negligent failure to prevent a bedsore or to promptly treat a pressure ulcer.

The nursing home and longterm care malpractice lawyers at Patterson Law offer free consultations to evaluate whether a pressure ulcer or bedsore may have been caused by a breach in the applicable standard of care.