| Whenever a patient is in a nursing home, that | | | | spend the necessary amount of time with each |
| patient is at risk of developing a bedsore. | | | | patient to ensure that the guidelines are |
| Although there are both and federal and state | | | | being followed. Sadly, understaffing at |
| guidelines specifically designed to prevent | | | | nursing homes is a serious problem that leads |
| bed sores, many nursing homes and hospitals | | | | to patient neglect. |
| have failed to follow these guidelines. As a | | | | |
| result, nursing home patients are developing | | | | For example, many residents are immobile and |
| bedsores at an alarming rate. This article | | | | unable to regularly reposition themselves |
| is designed to help patients and their | | | | while lying in bed. The guidelines require |
| families prevent bedsores when in a nursing | | | | nurses and aides to physically move these |
| home. | | | | patients every few hours to prevent bedsores. |
| | | | Unfortunately, by the time an overwhelmed |
| First, some background. What is a bedsore? A | | | | nurse gets around to checking on the |
| bedsore is skin and tissue that has died | | | | resident, the two-hour time frame in which a |
| because it has not received sufficient oxygen | | | | bedsore can develop has already expired. |
| from the body. Since blood carries oxygen to | | | | Similarly, bedsores are also caused by |
| all parts of our body, a bedsore is developed | | | | prolonged exposure of the skin to moisture. |
| when the blood vessels that feed the skin are | | | | It is no wonder then that patients who are |
| compressed or damaged in some manner. | | | | left to sit for hours in urine soaked diapers |
| | | | and sheets quickly develop bedsores in places |
| The compression or damage prevents the blood | | | | that go unnoticed by the nursing home staff |
| from reaching the skin and the skin cells | | | | and family members alike. Sadly, the |
| begin to die. If the blood supply continues | | | | situation spirals out of control and the |
| to be damaged or compromised, more tissue | | | | resident suffers because the staff could not |
| will die. Eventually, the blood supply | | | | make time to provide them with dry diapers |
| compromise can infect the underlying tissue, | | | | and sheets. |
| bones and joints. It takes as little as two | | | | |
| (2) hours of sustained blood flow compromise | | | | So, what should patients do to prevent these |
| to begin this process. | | | | devastating injuries? Fortunately, nursing |
| | | | homes fear the civil tort system where juries |
| Bedsores are common in the lower back, | | | | can hold them financially accountable for |
| buttocks and on other boney protrusions that | | | | failing to follow the guidelines. Family |
| routinely come in contact with a patient's | | | | members should not hesitate to seek legal |
| bed. Although every patient in a nursing | | | | advice if their loved one develops a bedsore. |
| home is susceptible to bedsores, the majority | | | | In addition, family members should go to the |
| of cases are easily preventable. The United | | | | web, print up several copies of the |
| States Department of Health and Human | | | | guidelines and bring them to the nursing |
| Services has published clinical guidelines | | | | home. Family members should sit down with |
| for bedsore prevention since 1992. | | | | the nursing home's medical director to ensure |
| | | | that the guidelines are being followed with |
| These guidelines can be found at In | | | | respect to their loved one. They should |
| addition, all nursing homes are required to | | | | leave a copy of the guidelines prominently |
| enact, publish, and follow similar guidelines | | | | displayed on the resident's bedside table. |
| to prevent bedsores. Despite longstanding | | | | Finally, family members should follow-up in |
| published guidelines, why is it then that | | | | writing asking the director of medicine and |
| nursing home patients continue to develop | | | | nursing if the guidelines are being followed |
| bedsores resulting in hospitalizations, | | | | on an every other-day basis. |
| medical complications and, in some instances, | | | | |
| death? | | | | The real key is involvement. Family members |
| | | | cannot sit back and blindly trust that their |
| Basically, the failure of healthcare | | | | loved ones are in good hands. Most residents |
| facilities to employ enough qualified staff | | | | are already in poor health when they enter a |
| members is the primary reason for the high | | | | nursing home facility. Therefore, any |
| incidents of bedsores. Typically, licensed | | | | neglect can have serious physical |
| practical nurses that work in a nursing home | | | | consequences. It is only by being a patient |
| setting are less experienced and cheaper to | | | | advocate in the manner set forth above that |
| employ when compared to registered nurses. | | | | family members can ensure that their loved |
| Furthermore, the resident to nurse ratio is | | | | one is receiving the federally and state |
| very high. The nurses are simply unable to | | | | mandated required bedsore prevention care. |