Tag: bedsore treatment

How To Treat A Bedsore

The development of a bedsore (or pressure sore) in an elderly or bedridden loved one can be a scary ordeal. Bedsores are painful and often require months of treatment before they heal. Bedsores can also be fatal if not cared for properly; therefore, it is important that family members are extremely involved in the treatment process.

The following list offers practical tips on how to treat a bedsore. Families can also use the list as a gauge to determine whether their loved one is receiving appropriate care from the nursing home or hospital staff. In addition, I encourage you to read ahead to the legal rights of a bedsore patient. Bedsores are a clear sign of neglect in nursing home or hospital setting. You have the legal right to hold these facilities accountable for the pain and suffering they have caused your loved one.

Bedsore Prevention Methods

  1. Keep Moving– Ideally, a bedsore patient should move every 15 minutes to keep pressure off of the sore. If this frequency is not possible (as in the case of an immobile resident), the bedsore patient must be moved at least every two hours. He or she should also be kept off of the sore as much as possible. Special mattresses, foam blocks or special chairs may help keep your loved one comfortable during the repositioning process.
  2. Keep it Clean– The bedsore should be cleaned with Saline solution and wrapped with an occlusive dressing. Occlusive dressing is a clear transparent bandage that can seal itself to the wound and is found at your local medical supply store. The bandage should also be left on for a few days before it is changed. If the dressing is changed too often, it will inhibit the body’s natural growth factors from connecting with the raw tissue.
  3. Get Healthy– Malnutrition is common in bedsore patients. This condition contributes to the easy breakdown of the skin. To promote healing, the bedsore patient should eat plenty of protein, take 500 mg of Vitamin C supplements twice a day (as always, consult with a doctor before taking supplements) and drink 8 glass of water a day to prevent dehydration. It is a proven fact that patients who receive proper nutrition will not only heal faster, but will be less likely to get another bedsore in the future.

Legal Rights of a Bedsore Patient

Nursing homes and hospitals have specific guidelines aimed at preventing bedsores. Therefore, if a bedsore develops, it’s safe to conclude that someone was not following the rules. These sores are so unacceptable that insurance companies are now refusing to pay doctors for bedsore treatment.

The reason for this is simple—bedsores are easier to prevent than treat. In most cases, bedsores are just the result of carelessness and neglect. Fortunately, insurance companies are not the only ones taking a stand against such negligent behavior. Bedsore patients and family members have turned to the court system to hold hospitals and nursing homes responsible for the pain and suffering they have caused. And while the hospital or nursing home may insist that bedsores are unavoidable even under the best circumstances, nothing can be further than the truth.

How to Get Help

Your first priority is the physical health of your loved one. Once they are stable and being treated as recommended above, you should contact an elder abuse attorney to discuss your specific case. At Mininno Law Office, we use a unique team of medical and legal professionals that work together to cover every angle of your bedsore case. Our staff nurse will answer any medical questions you may have, while our team of elder abuse attorneys will fight aggressively for your rights in court.

To get started with our licensed RN, call toll-free (856) 833-0600 or fill out the case evaluation form on the right side of the page.

Related information:

New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Practical Advice For The Treatment of Bedsores and Pressure Sores

Although the treatment of bedsores can be very difficult and challenging, prevention and aggressive wound care is always the best option. Unfortunately, most patients fall victim to bedsores and pressure ulcers due to under-staffed nursing homes and poorly trained medical personnel. And while medical personnel may claim that they are doing all that they can do to fix the problem, there are some practical ways for family members to get involved to ensure that the potentially fatal bedsore does not get worse.

First, patients in nursing homes who develop bedsores and/or pressure sores should be immediately assessed for transfer to a medical facility. If the patient has only developed a stage one ulcer, this can be treated with conservative treatment. That treatment would consist of the following:

  1. Immediately establish a turning and re-positioning schedule for the patient. This means that the patient should be moved every 15 minutes from one position to another.

Furthermore, the area in which the stage one ulcer has developed should be avoided all together. In addition, patients can use special cushions and pads to relieve pressure on the existing sores. These cushions consist of a variety of foam, air filled or water filled devices which cushion and protect the irritated and exposed skin.

If the ulcer progresses from stage one to stage two, transfer to a medical facility from the nursing home is strongly encouraged. Most stage two ulcers require more extensive and aggressive medical care and constant monitoring by trained professionals. Many nursing homes do not have the personnel, nor the programs in place to adequately treat these pressure sores.

Stage two pressure ulcers or bedsores can be treated non-surgically. Many doctors prescribe saline solution dressing to gently wash the infected area. And while full surgery is unavoidable at this stage, most patients will require some sort of surgical debridement. Debridement is a procedure where a doctor uses a scalpel to remove dead tissue. The body then reacts to the existing tissue and attempts to heal itself. The goal of the procedure is to improve the health of the infected tissue and to increase blood flow and regeneration of tissue. Following this procedure, careful monitoring is still required.

Admittedly, bedsores are much easier to prevent than to treat. However, if the sores are caught in the early stages, it is easy to see how family members can push for better treatment before the problem spirals out of control. It is ok (and highly recommended) that families keep on top of their loved one”s caregivers. Bedsores can be fatal if ignored or not properly cared for. However, if you monitor the situation to ensure that your loved one”s care follows the guidelines listed above, there is a greater chance of a full and uncomplicated recovery.

For more information on bedsore prevention or how to file a bedsore lawsuit in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, click on the following link:

New Jersey Bedsores Lawyers