Nursing home neglect is a huge cause for the development of bed sores and pressure ulcers. Nursing homes and long term patient care centers are responsible for giving good and professional care to their patients. Often, when a nursing home has a record of neglect or abuse, you will find patients that have acquired painful and often dangerous bed sores. It is important for a patient’s loved ones to know the symptoms and signs of bed sores and pressure ulcers so that they can immediately take action when stage one bed sores start to form.
When it comes to bed sores, prevention is the best medicine, but if prevention isn’t happening due to abuse or neglect on the part of the nursing home, a loved one needs to be ready to step in and take action. The best thing you can do to protect your loved one is to become familiar with the bedsore symptoms and stages so immediate help can be given.
Symptoms of Bed Sores and Pressure Ulcers
Bed sores are categorized into 4 stages. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has defined the four stages. If these stages aren’t treated, they will continue to worsen.
Stage I
Stage I bed sores are characterized by a slight may change color in the area affected. The skin is intact, but the site may also painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler compared with the surrounding skin.
Stage II
Stage II bed sores are an open wound. The pressure ulcer may appear as a shallow wound, or it may appear as an intact or ruptured fluid blister.
Stage III
Stage III bed sores are now a deep wound. The ulcer will have a crater like appearance, the bottom of the wound my have yellowish dead tissue, and the damage may now extend beyond the primary wound.
Stage IV
Stage IV pressure ulcers show a large scale loss of tissue. The wound may now expose muscle, bone and tendons. The bottom of the wound usually contains crusty dead tissue, and the damage extends beyond the primary wound below layers of healthy skin.
Careful Skin Inspection Should be Part of Routine Nursing Home Care
It is very important that nursing homes carfully inspect the skin of all nursing home patients that are confined to a bed or wheelchair for a long period of time . Not properly inspecting these patients is a true sign of nursing home neglect. If you recognize any of these warning signs, a doctor should be contacted immediately. Bed sores are very painful, and they are also very dangerous, as they can lead to life threatening infections. Early detection of a bed sore can be the difference between life and death.
Bedsores are a Sure Sign of Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
If your loved one has acquired a bed sore while in a nursing home, or has had negligent treatment of a bed sore or pressure ulcer, immediately seek further medical attention. Our lawyers are dedicated to holding nursing homes responsible. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.