Nursing Home Bedsores: Causes and Treatments
Entrusting your loved one with nursing home care is one of the most heart-wrenching decisions you will ever make. We all want the best care for our family members. Unfortunately, even in top-notch facilities, neglect happens. Elders are at high risk of nursing home bedsores.
A leading cause of elder abuse within nursing homes is a lack of staff to reposition patients as required to prevent bedsores. According to statistics from the National Centers for Disease Control, approximately 159,000 nursing homes in the US have had patients with bedsores.
In this article, discover what causes bedsores in nursing homes, the four stages of bedsores, prevention, and treatment options. Plus, find out how to find a qualified lawyer to help with financial support for treatment and how to hold the nursing home accountable.
What Are Nursing Home Bedsores?
Nursing home bedsores or decubitus ulcers are wounds that develop on areas of the skin with poor circulation and lack of movement. Bedsores typically appear on bony parts of the body, such as:
The tailbone
Heels
Elbows
Hips
Bedsores usually begin with purple or red marks. You can ease their effects by massaging the area to get the blood flowing and with frequent repositioning.
However, if left unattended, bedsores can quickly develop into painful open wounds that are difficult to treat and are life-threatening.
The Causes of Nursing Home Bedsores
Neglect causes nursing home bedsores. Often nursing homes are understaffed, and there is a lack of human resources to care for the residents.
Seniors with mobility issues lack the skills needed to reposition themselves. Bedsores develop when they lay in the same position for extended periods without frequent repositioning.
Besides a lack of repositioning, other causes of nursing home bedsores include:
Friction from moving limbs side to side in bed
Pressure caused by the weight of blankets or remaining in the same position
Failure to provide regular bathing, and adequate food and water
Skin tears from pulling on the resident during transfers
Signs of Bedsores
When a nursing home cannot take adequate care of a resident, it might cause bedsores. Some common signs of nursing home bedsores may include:
Red or discolored skin
The resident complains of tenderness or burning
Blisters or wounds observed
Hardening of the skin
The Four Different Stages of Bedsores
Nursing home bedsores range in severity. There are four stages of bedsores, including the following stages:
Stage 1: Redness, Skin Still Intact
The affected skin feels warm and looks red, purple, blue, or discolored. The resident may feel pain, itchiness, or burning of their skin.
Stage 2: Open Wound
The top layer of skin breaks. Open sores, blisters, scrapes, tears, or shears appear. The resident is in severe discomfort, and the skin around the wound is painful to touch and may become discolored.
Stage 3: Tissue Damage
The skin sinks around the pressure sore because of damage to the tissue below the ulcer.
Stage 4: Severe Damage
Bedsore has caused severe damage to the tissues and skin cells, and a large wound is present that may affect the following body functions:
Bones
Joints
Tendons
Muscles
Dangers and Risks Associated With Bedsores
When bed sores develop, they can progress quickly into open wounds that are difficult to treat. When the open wound becomes infected, it can cause several complications, including:
Infections of skin, bones, tissue, or blood
Incontinence because of a loss in sensation
Immobility, or spinal cord injuries
Wounds can develop into cancerous ulcers
Sepsis or life-threatening complications
Prevention and Treatment Options
The most effective way to prevent nursing home bedsores is frequent movement and repositioning every two hours. Other helpful preventative measures include:
Sheepskin under heels, coccyx, elbows, and other areas prone to bedsores
Foam pillows or pads
Place patient on their side rather than always on their back
Provide a nutritious diet, plenty of fluids, and regular hygiene
Even with preventative measures followed, bedsores are still common among nursing home patients. There are several treatments for nursing home bedsores which vary depending on the stage of the ulcer.
Frequent Repositioning
Ensuring frequent repositioning is crucial for preventing bedsores from developing. Repositioning a person every two hours is ideal for preventing bedsores from developing.
Keeping the Wound Clean
Ensuring the wound is clean is essential for healing bedsores. Keeping the skin clean before a pressure sore begins is one of the most effective ways to prevent bedsores.
Antibiotics
Depending on the severity of the wound, physicians may prescribe antibiotic creams, oral medications, or IV injections as a treatment for bedsores.
Removing Pressure
Using foam wedges, pillows, or sheepskin to take the pressure off wounds can help to heal bedsores. Cushioning bedsores provides comfort to the patient and eases the pain associated with bedsores.
Air Mattresses
Some caregivers may recommend an air mattress to prevent bedsores. Air mattresses help produce better airflow and relieve pressure.
Cover the Wound
Doctors may prescribe medicated gauze and dressings over the wound to help with healing. Covering an ulcer helps to keep the area clean and dry, thus speeding up the healing process.
Removing Damaged Tissue
For late-stage bedsores, debridement or removing damaged skin is a treatment measure that can speed up the healing process and prevent bedsores from spreading further.
Skin Grafts
When other methods of treatment are unsuccessful, doctors may recommend skin grafts to treat bedsores. When bedsores reach this level of severity, they can be life-threatening.
Amputation
Amputation is a last-resort treatment strategy reserved for late-stage bedsores that do not heal with antibiotics or other treatment methods. When amputation is considered, the infection has spread to the tissue and bones, resulting in life-threatening conditions.
Legal Rights Available to Victims
Bedsores are common for people living in nursing homes, especially if they suffer from immobility or paralysis and require frequent repositioning from staff members.
Nursing home bedsores are painful and can cause several complications when left untreated. If a loved one has suffered from bedsores within a nursing home, legal rights are available to them through the help of a qualified legal team.
Establishing Negligence
Bedsores found on your loved one show neglect. Attorneys can help prove the nursing home failed its duties to provide adequate care to your loved one.
Proving Cause
Proving the cause can be daunting, but a qualified attorney can take the worry out of the situation by establishing a connection between the nursing home’s negligence and the development of the painful bedsores.
Awarding a Fair Settlement
Hiring a qualified legal team with experience in nursing home bedsore cases can help ensure your loved one receives the compensation they deserve for suffering negligence at the hands of a nursing home.
Representation In the Courtroom and Out
If a bedsore lawsuit escalates to trial, a qualified legal team will help prepare your case for trial and offer the best representation for a positive resolution and the best settlement you can achieve.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, nursing homes are often negligent in preventing and treating bedsores in patients within their facilities.
If your loved one is a victim of nursing home bedsores, contact the personal injury team at Peck Law Corp today. Our family-run practice specializes in nursing home neglect. Relax knowing your loved one will receive the compensation they deserve.
