You might think that bedsores are a minor rash and nothing to worry about, but that is far from true. Untreated bedsores have led to death for patients in hospitals and nursing homes across the country. A bedsore can develop into a serious infection and it is a sign of medical malpractice and patient neglect. Someone should never die from infected bedsores because they are 100 percent preventable.
Bedsores develop from prolonged pressure or friction on the skin. A light pink mark is the first sign, and if untreated it will turn into an open wound on the skin. The most severe cases opened the skin down to the bone. If a patient lies in bed for days without movement, the lack of blood circulation causes the skin to decay where it touches the bed.
Making sure that the patient moves his or her body and keeping them well nourished and hydrated are the best methods to prevent bedsores. Hospital or nursing home staff should move someone confined to a bed or wheelchair at least once every two hours.
If medical staff are living up to acceptable standards of care, no patient should ever develop a bedsore. If a patient shows signs of bedsores, proper treatment will result in healing with no long-term damage. Not only are infected bedsores difficult to treat, they can be extremely painful for the patient.
See our website for more information about bedsores and other areas of medical malpractice. We are always happy to speak with you about a free case review as well. Call our office at 504-522-7885.
Harrell & Nowak, LLC – New Orleans medical malpractice attorneys