Nursing Home Infections Caused by Medical Negligence in Minnesota

Minneapolis- St. Paul Medical Malpractice Attorney Explains Nursing Home Infections

 

No one wants to send their loved one into a nursing home, but it is an unfortunate fact of life that sometimes our loved ones need more attention and care than we can provide, especially when their health is failing and trained medical providers are needed around the clock.  The costs of this care can be very high, but the necessity and well-being of our family is of the utmost importance.

 

Which is why medical malpractice, misconduct, neglect, abuse, and other negligence of nursing home providers is particularly upsetting and unacceptable.  One of the worst types of medical negligence involving a nursing home involves failing to detect, failing to diagnose, and failing to treat an infection.  Left untreated, infections can cause irreparable damage and harm to a loved one.  They can develop into sepsis and cause an extremely painful death.

 

At Kuhlman Law, LLC, victims of nursing home negligence receive the special attention they deserve and did not get at the facility.  We work hard to research the medical record, facts, and applicable law to fight to obtain the maximum amount of compensation you may be entitled to.  Call us today for a FREE consultation by dialing (612) 444-3374 to learn how we can help you and your loved ones today.

 

Causes of Infections Due to Nursing Home Negligence and Medical Malpractice

 

In Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and throughout Minnesota, nursing homes continue to make mistakes in the care and treatment of residents which results in their death.  Infections are a very serious medical condition, and delayed or failed care will be deadly.  This is especially true for the elderly or those with weakened immune systems.

 

Some common negligent errors resulting in nursing home infections include the following:

 

• Failure to detect and treat pressure sores;
• Improperly treating cuts or wounds;
• Failing to properly and timely change wound wraps;
• Neglecting patients;
• Not performing oral examination checks for wounds;
• Failing to inspect patients, especially wheelchair-bound and bedridden patients;
• Neglecting to encourage patients to walk around to fight bedsores;
• Failing to pad heels and feet, or failing to prop them up off the end of the bed, to avoid pressure sores;
• Mistreating wounds on the hands or feet, particularly fingers or toes;
• Failing to check for signs of illness such as respiratory, throat, ear, nose, or other common illnesses caused by bacterial infections;
• Forgetting to give antibiotics to patients who have been prescribed antibiotics for ongoing infections;
• Failing to monitor vitals such as temperature, blood pressure, oxygenation saturation, or other important vitals;
• Improperly cleaning areas of infections or IVs;
• Breaching sanitary protocol;
• Failing to properly sterilize tools before procedures, such as an infection; and
• Many other causes.

 

Pressure Sores, Pressure Ulcers, and Bed Sores are the Number One Cause of Nursing Home Infections Which Become Fatal

 

Experienced Minnesota medical malpractice attorneys know that most fatal nursing home infections are likely caused by a pressure sore.  Also known as a pressure ulcer or bed sores, this is exactly what it sounds like.  The springs and friction of the bed put undue pressure on the parts of the body which result in damage to the tissue it is pressing.  This can cause the area to be necrotic and actually start to die.  This quickly leads to an infection.

 

Like an iceberg, some pressure sores may only give a small point of trauma, redness, or hole on the surface of the skin but end up having a massive hole or damage underneath the skin.  This can be difficult to detect to an untrained or inexperienced healthcare provider.  However, at a nursing home, you are paying a significant amount of money for that properly trained healthcare provider.  A basic and routine bodily inspection will easily reveal the pressure sore.  Coupled with the complaints of pain from the patient, a pressure sore and easily be identified and treated timely.

 

In fact, most providers, nursing homes, hospitals, offices, and of course lawyers find pressure sores to be “never events.”  This means that they should never happen and only do occur in the presence of negligence.

 

The danger with pressure sores is that they almost always result in rampant infection which leads to sepsis.  A resident in a nursing home will likely be unable to withstand an infection without succumbing to their injuries.

 

Victims of Nursing Home Infections in Minnesota Need to Call Kuhlman Law, LLC Today

 

If you or a loved one have been injured due to the medical malpractice of a healthcare provider such as a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other health care service professional, call Kuhlman Law, LLC for a FREE consultation by dialing (612) 444-3374 to learn what your rights to compensation may be.  We will conduct a thorough review of your case and advise you whether there may have been a serious medical mistake causing your injury.   There is no risk, and you do not owe us money unless we win your case.