Why UTIs are a Sign of Oregon Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers Explain Why UTIs are a Sign of Oregon Home Abuse and Neglect

 

Usually, urinary tract infections (UTI) are an annoyance and inconvenience.  Rarely does it result in hospitalization, although often times antibiotics are necessary.  But UTIs for elderly patients are completely different.  This is particularly true for residents living in nursing homes who may have serious complications from a UTI which could even be life-threatening.  This includes extreme pain and which could quickly grow into a dangerous infection or sepsis.  These are also common injuries for nursing home residents.  According to government statistics, UTIs are the second most common type of infection in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and rehabilitation centers.  Hygiene and proper care is a big issue with reducing or preventing UTIs.  Learn why the sign of UTIs in a nursing home could mean there is abuse and neglect from our Oregon nursing hime abuse lawyers.

 

What is a UTI?

 

A UTI is an infection in any part of the urinary system which includes your kidneys, ureters, gladder, and urethra.  A UTI is caused when bacteria enters the urinary tract through the urethra.  The bacteria can then to into the bladder and begin to multiply.  UTIs are more common in women than in men, and more likely as one ages.  This is because the body’s defenses, including in the bladder, get weaker as we get older.

 

Causes of UTIs in Oregon Nursing Homes

 

There are many common causes of UTIs.  Many of these common causes are actually normal.  In fact, almost 5.5% of all nursing homes residents have a UTI at any given time.  This is due to the simple fact that nursing home residents are weaker and likely suffering from other health complications which means their bodies cannot fight off UTIs as well.  Residents also may have difficultly explaining the symptoms they are having and that they may have a UTI.

 

But there are also some other common causes of UTIs.  These common causes are those which are due to the reckless, careless, and negligent care and treatment by nursing home staff.  In fact, nursing home caregivers could even by causing UTIs by the way they treat a resident’s hygienic needs.

 

Some of the most common causes of UTIs in Oregon nursing homes which could be a sign of negligence include the following:

 

• Improper catheter use – catheter use is one of the most commonly linked causes to UTIs.  This is because a catheter enters the urinary and can introduce bacteria closer to the bladder where the infection begins.  A catheter that is allowed to stay in too long can begin to accumulate matter and become a labor for bacteria.  It also is a direct gateway into the body to cause an infection.  Catheters that are used too long or improperly could result in serious infections.
• Poor hygienic practice – although UTIs can occur in healthy people and people who use proper hygiene practices, UTIs are more likely where poor hygienic practices are occurring.  In nursing homes, this could mean less frequent hygiene checks by staff members or improper hygienic methods by staff.  Even the direction of wiping to clean residents could result in serious infections.  Staff are expected to know proper hygiene protocol to care for residents.
• Understaffing – less staff to help care for residents directly translates into less people to help residents care for themselves.  This means that residents could have catheters in longer or sit in unsanitary conditions for longer before being cleaned.  It could also mean less showers and cleaning which could also result in UTIs.
• Dehydration – a risk of UTIs is simply a lack hydration.  This not only helps keep mucus membranes high and strong to push back on bacteria, but it also means that a well-hydrated resident will clear an infections by passing urine.  This is important to fight off UTIs.
• Diabetes management – residents who have diabetes need to be managed correctly because they have a higher risk of getting UTIs due to the higher sugar levels in their urine.  These sugar levels are food for bacteria which can quickly grow and become dangerous UTIs.

 

Did a Resident Have a UTI in an Oregon Nursing Home?  Do UTIs Reoccur or Seem Common at that Facility?  Ask our Oregon Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers to Investigate

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of nursing home abuse or neglect contact the Oregon Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.  

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take Nursing Home Abuse cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

 

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.