Bed sores are skin and soft tissue injuries caused by prolonged pressure, often occurring on the skin covering bony areas of the body. People at risk of pressure sores include those with limited mobility or completely immobile, such as the elderly, disabled, and extremely ill individuals.
Once a pressure sore forms, immediate treatment is crucial to prevent it from progressing. Otherwise, the dead tissue can spread, penetrate deeper into the skin, and become prone to infection.
Did you or a loved one develop pressure sores in a nursing home? Or perhaps receive poor treatment for them? If so, the nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center, LLC, can help you hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions.
Contact our bedsore lawyers at (800) 926-7565 (toll-free phone number) for a free consultation to determine your legal rights.
"Pressure ulcers" is a term used in the USA and other countries and has been accepted as a Europe-wide term by the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP). They are also called bedsores and decubitus ulcers.
A pressure ulcer is an injury to the skin and soft tissue caused by excessive pressure on the skin and underlying tissue. It is usually caused by sitting or laying in one position for too long, cutting off blood flow to the skin. After two to three hours of lack of circulation, the skin starts to die, and a pressure sore forms.
People at risk of these injuries have limited movement and cannot reposition themselves without assistance. At-risk groups include:
The following risk factors can make a person more prone to developing bedsores:
People develop pressure sores in different locations, depending on their position, for most of the day. Wheelchair users tend to develop sores on the:
On the other hand, people confined to their beds often develop sores on the:
The signs and symptoms of a pressure sore depend on its stage. Pressure sores are divided into four stages:
The affected skin appears red and feels warm to the touch. The skin may have a blue or purple tint on dark skin. The patient may complain of slight pain, itching, or burning in the area, and the site may feel different from the surrounding skin (e.g., warmer or cooler).
If the skin color does not return to normal after removing pressure, a pressure sore has formed, and there is restricted blood flow in the area.
Once a Stage I pressure sore penetrates deeper into the skin, a Stage II sore will form. The skin is broken and has an open wound, blood-filled blister, or scratch. The area is swollen, red, and warm, indicating that the body is trying to heal itself. The sore may also leak clear fluid or pus.
The patient will complain of significant pain on the site. At this stage, keeping the wound clean is crucial to prevent the sore from worsening or contracting an infection.
A Stage III pressure ulcer has gone through the second layer of skin into the adipose (fat) tissue. The sore is crater-like and may show signs of infection, such as redness, odor, pus, heat, and drainage. If the skin has died, black dead tissue is visible in or around the sore.
Stage III bedsores have a moderate risk of contracting a life-threatening infection.
A Stage IV bedsore is a deep tissue injury and is the most severe. They are deep, large, and show signs of infection. There is also dead tissue in or around the sore, and tendons, muscles, and bones may be visible.
Stage IV injuries have the highest risk of contracting a life-threatening infection, especially for frail and immunocompromised patients.
An STDI occurs when the skin's surface looks like a Stage I or II sore, but it is Stage III or IV underneath.
A decubitus ulcer can be unstageable if the doctor cannot see the bottom due to full-thickness tissue loss and slough or eschar on the wound bed. The doctor may flush the wound bed to determine the sore's depth.
Pressure sores are open wounds that are prone to bacterial infection. Without proper and immediate treatment, the following complications may occur:
Nursing home residents can develop pressure injuries due to:
Early diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers are crucial in preventing wound progression and infection. Treatment options for bedsores include:
According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory, healthcare providers must turn and reposition at-risk individuals unless contraindicated by an illness or injury.
The general clinical practice guideline for frequency of repositioning is every 15 minutes for wheelchair users and two hours or less for bedridden patients. However, the frequency can depend on other factors, such as the support surface in use, the skin's tolerance, and the patient's preferences.
Nursing staff can also relieve pressure by putting foam pads, special pillows, or mattress pads on residents' beds and wheelchairs.
Keeping the skin clean and dry can reduce its sensitivity and the risk of injury. Nursing staff can use barrier creams, incontinence pads, and fecal management systems to reduce the skin's contact with waste materials, which can cause or worsen bedsores.
Proper diapering is also crucial. Nursing staff must change patients' diapers frequently and ensure that the genitals are as clean and dry as possible.
Once a Stage II decubitus ulcer forms, an open wound on the skin's surface is susceptible to bacterial invasion. Proper wound care is essential to prevent bacteria from entering the wound and multiplying.
For Stage I pressure sores, staff must clean the affected areas with mild soap and water. A moisture barrier (cream or ointment) may also be necessary to protect the skin from bodily fluids.
A Stage II open sore should be flushed with saline solution to remove loose and dead tissue, then covered with a special dressing or gauze to protect it against infection. Using hydrogen peroxide, iodine cleansers, and even mild soap is not advisable as they can cause tissue damage.
If the patient has a pus or blood-filled blister, the general clinical practice guideline is to keep the sore covered with a dry, sterile dressing to promote healing.
In addition to cleaning the affected skin, nursing staff can apply antibacterial creams on Stage I ulcers to prevent infection on vulnerable skin.
Healthcare providers should not use topical creams on an open sore as they can aggravate the wound and cause further skin damage.
Stage III and IV bedsores involve tissue death. Hence, these sores often require debridement--the surgical removal of dead tissue--to help sores heal. The surgeon may use a high-pressure water jet or surgical appliance to remove the damaged tissue.
In some cases, surgery may also involve taking tissue from healthy skin with surgical instruments to repair an open sore (flap surgery).
The doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat infections. The type and length of antibiotic use will depend on the infection's severity and the patient's overall health.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen sodium) may also be necessary to help reduce pain.
Good nutrition and hydration are crucial for skin health, wound healing, and immunity. Vital nutrients for skin health and healing include Vitamins A, C, E, zinc, omega-3, and biotin.
Nursing homes can reduce residents' risk of skin damage by providing patients with a healthy diet and enough water daily. Furthermore, residents will be more able to recover from bedsores faster and avoid infection.
Nursing homes must also address patients that are obese or overweight, as excess weight exerts more pressure on beds and wheelchairs. Calorie-controlled diets can help these patients lose excess weight and avoid bedsores, among many other injuries.
Some mattresses are designed to help relieve pressure, such as those made with static foam or have a pump that provides a constant flow of air throughout the bed.
Patients with severe bedsores may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which increases oxygen in the body to promote healing. The process brings oxygen to oxygen-starved tissue, reducing swelling in the damaged blood vessels and stopping tissue death.
Friction can cause further injury and delay wound healing, especially for patients with fragile skin. Thus, nursing staff should prevent residents from rubbing against the bedding. Possible solutions may include sprinkling powder on beds and wheelchairs, installing heel and elbow cradles, and using draw sheets when repositioning patients.
Pressure ulcers don't develop instantaneously. In most cases, a nursing home resident would have to spend hours unattended before developing a pressure sore. Furthermore, pressure ulcers are relatively easy to spot if the affected patient receives proper care and attention from staff.
Nursing homes are responsible for preventing, diagnosing, and treating pressure sores. Failure to do so can lead to complications, such as infections, cancer, and even death.
Hence, pressure ulcers are often indicators of nursing home abuse and neglect. If you or a loved one developed a pressure sore due to lack of care, you have the right to seek legal compensation for your injury.
The liable party can be anyone from your loved one's health care team, such as doctors, nurses, or nursing aides. If the individual has failed to recognize, diagnose, or treat a pressure sore according to medical standards, they could be held responsible for a personal injury claim.
By filing a claim against responsible parties, you could recover financial compensation for:
Your nursing home abuse attorney will help you file a claim with the negligent facility's insurance company. The insurer may offer you a settlement, which you can accept immediately or negotiate with your lawyer's help.
If the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer or negotiations have stalled, your lawyer can help you bring your case to civil court, where a judge or jury will hear evidence from both sides. Lawsuits generally take longer than insurance settlements but may be necessary to recover fair compensation.
Did you or a loved one suffer a pressure sore due to a nursing home's negligence? Or did the nursing home provide poor treatment of pressure ulcers? Whatever the case may be, you deserve financial compensation for your troubles.
The personal injury attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center attorneys, LLC, can help you seek justice for such negligence. Our experienced team defends the legal rights of abused or neglected nursing home residents, especially victims of preventable harm, such as bedsores.
Contact our lawyers at (800) 926-7565 or use the contact form for a free consultation. All confidential or sensitive information you share with our legal team will remain private under an attorney-client relationship.
Our lawyers handle all accepted cases on a contingency fee basis. You don't have to pay for our legal services unless we win your case.
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