California Elder Law Attorney Blog

Infections In Nursing Homes Occur through Lack Of Hygiene, Bed Sores and Pressure Ulcers, and Just Plain Neglect says Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Fri, 11 May 2012 06:05:00 -0800

During your research of proper skilled nursing facilities for your elderly or disabled family member, you may have learned about nursing home abuse. One issue that results from abuse and neglect is infections. Infections can occur through lack of proper hygiene, through bed sores, presure sores also known as decubitus ulcers, improper food safety, and building safety.

There are two highly common infections that are seen in nursing homes: MRSA and VSRA. These are not the only two infections and health problems. Focus are on these two because they are the more common issues.

MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is a bacterium that is highly difficult to treat once a patient is infected. It is known by other names like Oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. By definition it means the strain is resistant to antibiotics like penicillin. It is found in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) because these individuals may have open wounds or susceptible immune systems.

Signs of MRSA
Signs of MRSA include respiratory issues, infections around open wounds such as bed sores, pressure sores and decubitus ulcers, and urinary tract issues. To discover if a resident has this bacterium a swab of the nostrils and a microscope examination for the bacterium is needed. It does not take long for MRSA to worsen. Usually the initial symptoms appear in 24 to 48 hours, and after 72 hours it is resistant to treatment. MRSA can be prevented with proper cleaning and care of patients. Treatment is through vancomycin or teicoplanin and if used early enough can stop the infection before death can occur.

Signs of VRSA
VRSA is vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. VRSA can result from treatment of MRSA with vancomycin and teicoplanin. The patient may become resistant to the original infection, as well as the drug being used to stop the infection from spreading. This particular bacterium is rarer than MRSA, but it does occur with increasing regularity. The bacteria will thicken the cell walls depleting the amount of vancomycin that enters the blood stream and kills the bacteria. Patients with this infection must be isolated to avoid spreading it throughout the rest of the SNF. They may also have to be placed on a pump to clean out their system of the vancomycin before trying another drug. The bacterium has to be isolated in the body to help eradicate it.

Looking for Risk Factors
VRSA and MRSA are just two inflectional bacterium found in SNFs that you should look for before placing a loved one. To keep residents at SNFs free of this inflectional bacterium the staff must provide proper housekeeping, hygiene, and keep to federal and state regulations regarding care facilities.

Ombudsman Should Be the Best Advocates for Elders and Dependant Adults

Wed, 09 May 2012 06:05:20 -0800

California SB 345 aligns state and federal law regarding the ombudsman's office. It emphasizes the ombudsman's ability to advocate on behalf of long-term care recipients, something advocates say has been politically challenging, since the agency is housed within the Department of Aging.

The Older Americans Act responsibilities of the State Ombudsman and now placing those issues into California law is really what the State of California needed and leaves any doubt that the State Ombudsman can now do his job effectively says California Elder Abuse Attorney Steven Peck.

The bill also calls for an annual report and re-establishment of an advisory council. The deadlines for those tasks were amended.

Long Term Care Ombudsman Services are a mystery to many people. People have difficulty "pronouncing it, spelling it or understanding what it is, Peck says. The service is a vital one for all elders and dependant adults.

"When you think of the state ombudsman, they should be the best advocate," Peck says "It's about the office. The state ombudsman needs to be the loudest and best advocate of all and help eradicate Elder Abuse throughout the State of California and the United States.

Pressure Ulcers and Bed Sores Are Skin Wounds Caused By Prolonged Unreleived Pressure says Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Mon, 07 May 2012 06:05:00 -0800

Pressure Ulcers, Bed Sores and Decubitus Ulcers:

A pressure ulcer, also known as a bedsore or decubitus ulcer, is a wound of the skin caused by prolonged, unrelieved pressure to that area. Pressure ulcers occur most frequently around bony prominences such as the tailbone, hips, heels, ankles and elbows.

Causes:

Many factors can contribute to the formation of pressure ulcers, bed sores also known as Decubitus Ulcers. The main cause is unrelieved pressure to a location of skin on the body. This constant pressure inflicts damage by decreasing the area's blood supply and traumatizing the skin. When this pressurized spot rubs against other surfaces (such as bed sheets or wheel chairs), the tissue is further damaged. Other contributing factors are:

Excess moisture (fecal or urinary incontinence)
Poor nutrition and/or hydration
Generally poor health

Types

Pressure ulcers are categorized according to their characteristics by their severity:

Stage I: The beginning stage

The skin is intact.
The skin appears red or ashen and doesn't blanch (lighten in color) when touched.
The area may be painful, firm, soft, warm or cool.

Stage II: An open wound

The pressure ulcer may look like a shallow, pinkish red bowl-like wound, or it may appear as an intact or ruptured blister.

Stage III: A deep wound

The pressure ulcer has a crater-like appearance.
Deep damage may expose a fat layer.
The bottom of the wound may have some yellow dead tissue (called slough).

Stage IV: Large scale tissue loss

The wound exposes bone, muscle or tendons.
The bottom of the ulcer contains slough and/or dark, crusty dead tissue (called eschar).
The deep damage is extensive and well beyond the original wound.

Signs and Symptoms

Pain can be a common symptom of pressure ulcers. Having any of the characteristics defined in the stages of pressure ulcers is cause for concern. A red mark that does not change over time or a blister that appears to worsen may be a pressure ulcer and should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Who Is at Risk

Anyone with limited mobility is at risk for developing pressure ulcers. Immobility, temporary or permanent, may be due to:

Surgery
Coma
Sedation
Paralysis
Bed rest or use of a wheel chair
General weakness

Other risk factors include:

Decreased sensory perception
Medical conditions that affect circulation
Decreased mental awareness

Treatment Options:

If not treated, pressure ulcers can lead to sepsis (infection of the blood), bone and joint infections and death. Stages I and II pressure ulcers heal within several weeks with general wound care and treatment of the risk factors contributing to the wound's formation. Stages III and IV ulcers are difficult to treat and, if found in an individual with multiple chronic conditions or a terminal illness, treatment may simply be focused on managing the wound rather than on healing it completely. General wound care involves a combination of the following:

Relieve the pressure: Frequent repositioning is imperative. Individuals confined to a wheelchair should change positions at least every 15 minutes. Those confined to a bed should be repositioned at least every 2 hours. In all cases, bony areas should be cushioned as much as possible.

Remove damaged tissue: The damaged tissue can be removed by cutting, irrigating or using chemical ointments to break down the tissue.

Clean and dress the wound: Pressure ulcers are cleansed with saline solution and can be dressed with a variety of dressings. All dressings aim to keep the wound at the appropriate moisture level while also creating a barrier to prevent infection.

Other treatments include antibiotics, pain management and improving nutrition.
Prevention

Pressure ulcers are much easier to prevent than to treat, but that doesn't mean they all can be prevented. Wounds may still develop with persistent and appropriate care due to the overwhelming nature of risk factors in some individuals. Take the following steps to help prevent pressure ulcers:

Change position frequently and avoid trauma to the skin when shifting positions (lifting and turning rather than scooting or dragging the skin)
Keep the skin clean and dry
Inspect the skin regularly, particularly in bony areas - get assistance if you are unable to view skin in some areas of your body
Eat a well balanced diet and drink plenty of fluids

Chicago Nursing Home's License is Being Revoked for Continued Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Violations

Fri, 04 May 2012 06:20:00 -0800

State public health officials confirmed Wednesday they are in the process of revoking the license for a troubled Joliet nursing home.

Hillcrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 777 Draper Ave., also was scheduled to be decertified for Medicare on April 1, said Melaney Arnold, communications manager for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Arnold could not confirm Wednesday that the center was scheduled to close May 15. A woman who answered the phone at Hillcrest on Wednesday said Amy Sparks, who is listed as the administrator of the facility on both the IDPH website and the facility's website, no longer was working there. No administrators were available to comment, the woman said.

Joliet Mayor Tom Giarrante said he called the Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday to ask if the state could do another inspection on Hillcrest before it closed. He did not hear back as of Wednesday afternoon.

"I'm not trying to get them to keep it open," Giarrante said. "I just want them to do another inspection before May 15 to see if it will pass."

Giarrante said he did not know if the facility could be kept open with another inspection. But he said he was concerned about people losing jobs once Hillcrest closes.

In April, the IDPH investigated complaints from 10 out of 16 residents who were transferred out of the facility between March 17 and 23. The state found residents were transferred without regard to their preference of facility.

One resident is quoted in a state report as saying: "All the residents were told (Hillcrest) was closing. We were told it was because of (a resident alleged to have sexually and physically assaulted 23 residents) ... and funding problems. They said the facility ... did something very wrong and everyone had to go."

A separate IDPH investigation found that between May and October, a 26-year-old male Hillcrest resident sexually, physically or mentally abused at least 23 other residents.

Residents told investigators the man exposed himself and assaulted male and female residents, threatening to "come back with a gun" if they reported the incidents.

That incident is not the first complaint filed against Hillcrest, which has a history of state investigations going back at least 10 years.

In February the state investigated an incident where a resident was discovered dead in her room, a coaxial cord wrapped around her neck and mouth.

In March, state investigators found the facility staff gave a resident too high a dose of a prescription seizure medicine, which resulted in hospitalization.

Restraints In Skilled Nursing and Long Term Care Facilities Constitute Abuse and Neglect

Thu, 03 May 2012 06:05:00 -0800

Hundreds of thousands of people residing in United States nursing homes, assisted living and long term care facilities are being locked up or tied to their beds or wheelchairs illegally says Peck Law Group Elder Abuse Lawyer Steven Peck.
Across the country elders and dependant adults are being routinely and illegally restrained in long term care facilities.

Care of pressure sores, decubitus ulcers and bed sores and other wounds was also found to be wanting and can lead to serious infections and death.

And despite improvements in care over the past years,elders and dependant adults in these long term care facilities have difficulty eating or swallowing, many times are found to be dehydrated and malnourished, and do not get enough help.

Statistics say that Between 20 to 40 percent of patients in more than 20,000 care homes were found not have received adequate wound care, enough food and drink or close enough observation for signs of dementia. Around 61 percent of residents also received some sort of sedative on a regular basis, many without physician orders or with physician knowledge says California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Steven Peck.

For the 31 percent of residents who were registered as suffering chronic pain, a large proportion of homes had failed to establish a consistent pain management plan.

Jury Awards 3.2 Million Due To Death and Neglect Caused By Complications of Infected Bedsores

Wed, 02 May 2012 06:05:00 -0800

A jury in has awarded $3.2 million to the family of an 88-year-old man who died of complications from an infected bedsore the size of a baseball.

The lawsuit was awarded against Pioneer Healthcare Center, a Rocky Ford nursing home.

The facility is owned by Grace Healthcare, a Chattanooga, Tenn. company with nursing homes in eight states and a total of 4,000 beds.

The lawsuit accused the nursing home of hiding the seriousness of the bedsores from the family.

Before the wound developed in late September 2010, the abused elder, who had Parkinson's disease, could walk to the cafeteria with assistance.

Thereafter, he stopped eating, drinking and walking and became bed-bound and unresponsive.

In early October 2010, a nurse's aide told the Elder's son son about severe bedsores on the Elder's buttocks and scrotum, which were infected and smelled badly. The employee said he was worried about getting fired but was fearful that the Elder would die so he spoke out.

When the family insisted that the Elder immediately be taken to a hospital, administrators protested, saying that he should be cared for at the nursing home, according to the lawsuit.

When the neglected and abused Elder was taken to a hospital, his doctor determined that he was also dehydrated and malnourished. Hospital doctors said the Elder's death was linked to the bedsores.

Health Department officials later inspected the nursing home and cited the facility for 27 deficiencies after discovering many problems including widescale infections.

Sepsis Infections May Cause Wrongful Death According to Elder Abuse Lawyer Steven Peck

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:05:00 -0800

Septic infection or sepsis is a condition that can quickly get worse and can lead to death if not treated properly.

It is important to seek medical attention if you suspect the possibility of sepsis. Unfortunately, there is not a universal set of symptoms that apply to all patients with sepsis. But, when you understand how sepsis develops from infection, you will be able to recognize it when you see it. In essence, sepsis is the body's response to infection.

Increased blood flow is what causes the redness of the inflammatory response in our body. Biologically, increasing blood circulation is an attempt to physically flush the infection out. Blood vessels in the skin dilate and the increased blood flow can cause flushing or redness of the skin. But this is not always visible in all patients with sepsis. You can see some other changes that can be related to increased blood flow.

The heart rate goes up as the heart is trying to pump more blood. If the infection is somewhere in the body that you can look at, you will see the actual inflammatory response at the site of the infection.

For example, an infection in the skin and soft tissue of the leg will cause a visible redness, warmth, swelling and pain on the surface of the leg.

A similar response happens throughout the body in sepsis, but it is more prominent at the site of the initial infection.

The heat of inflammation can be seen as increased body temperature or fever. Most patients with infection and sepsis have fever. Some elderly patients may not be able to mount a fever but you may still see them having shaking chills instead of fever.

The swelling of the inflammation in sepsis is at two levels: the organ level and the body level. The example of leg infection above shows the swelling at the organ level.

If the infection is in an internal organ, the swelling can only be seen in x-rays or CAT scans. At the body level, the increased amount of blood and inflammatory chemicals causes swelling by allowing more fluids to escape into the tissue from the blood vessels.

The anger or distress in sepsis can be seen as pain, irritability and sometimes confusion and delirium.

Although inflammatory response in sepsis is designed to fight infection, it can harm the body itself when it gets overwhelming. You can remember this by imagining the flames of the fire burning out the body itself. As the body becomes exhausted with the inflammatory response, it begins to crumble. The blood pressure may go down and the redness may turn into pale, sweaty and calmly skin. When this happens, the patient can collapse without medical support.

When you see someone with a possible infection and you detect the signs of overwhelming inflammation, you can help that person by getting them to ER right away. Please do not wait until their body is at the verge of collapse.

Private Equity Investing In Nursing Homes has Increased Affecting Quality of Care Indicates Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Steven Peck

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:05:00 -0800

For many people there comes a time when caring for themselves, whether through age, accident or medical condition, becomes too burdensome of task. When this occurs, people have several options for their care, including moving into a nursing home or other assisted-living facility.
People that move into a nursing home expect to receive a certain level of care and expect to be free from abuse and neglect. But, has the quality of care received at some privately owned nursing homes actually declined over the past few years? A new study seeks to find out. The study will look at data to determine if the increased buying and selling nursing homes by private-equity firms in recent years has affected quality of care.
According to a 2010 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the number of private-equity firm investments in nursing homes increased dramatically over the past 10 years. The report states that in 2009, 1,800 of the 16,000 nursing homes were owned by private-equity investments.
People should consider private equity non-medical ownership as one factor among many, and take the time necessary to find the nursing home or other long-term care facility that meets their needs.
What to Look for When Selecting a Nursing Home
Finding the nursing home that is the right fit can be a daunting task. To help with the search, the Peck Law Group suggests a number of items for people to consider.
For people just beginning their search for the appropriate nursing home, Peck offers the following tips:
- Decide in which location you desire to live and locate nursing homes in that area
- Contact nursing homes in that area to ask what services are offered and if rooms or beds are available
- Make appointments to visit the facilities and to meet with the administrators
- On visits ask lots of questions and speak with residents and staff; also, ask about the facilities' and the administrators' licenses
When visiting nursing homes to find the right fit, Peck suggests a number of questions to keep in mind. Following is a sampling of Peck's suggestions:
- Does the nursing home feel welcoming?
- How many beds are in each room?
- Are there privacy curtains?
- Are the bathrooms conveniently located?
- How convenient are the visiting hours?
- How much time is given to eat?
- Does the nursing home take residents likes and dislikes into consideration when creating menus?
- Are arrangements made for worship?
- What types of activities are planned for residents?
- Is the staff kind and courteous to residents?
- How quickly does staff respond to calls for assistance?
- Does the nursing home make beauticians and barbers available?
- Is the nursing home near the hospital?
- Are residents' rights and responsibilities posted?
- What is covered under the monthly rate? What services cost extra?
Even if people do the necessary research and seek out the nursing home or other long-term care facility that they feel meets their needs, it is possible that the unthinkable may happen: abuse or neglect.

Scabies Should Never Happen In A Nursing Home Indicates Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:05:00 -0800

Scabies is a condition of very itchy skin caused by tiny mites that burrow into your skin.

Scabies can affect people of all ages and from all incomes and social levels. Even people who keep themselves very clean can get scabies.
How is scabies spread?

Scabies mites spread by close contact with someone who has scabies. Scabies can also be spread by sharing towels, bed sheets, and other personal belongings.

Scabies often affects several family members at the same time. You can spread it to another person before you have symptoms.
What are the symptoms?

Scabies causes severe itching that is usually worse at night and a rash with tiny blisters or sores. Small children and older adults tend to have the worst itching. Children typically have worse skin reactions.

If this is the first time you have had scabies, it may be several weeks before you have itching and skin sores. But if you have had it before, symptoms will probably start in a few days.
How is scabies diagnosed?

A doctor will suspect scabies based on your symptoms. Scabies is especially likely if you have had close contact with other people who have had similar symptoms.

Sometimes a doctor confirms a diagnosis by looking for signs of mites on a sample of your skin. The doctor gently scrapes some dry skin from an affected area and then looks at it under a microscope. This test is not painful for most people.
How is it treated?

Scabies will not go away on its own. You need to use a special cream or lotion that a doctor prescribes. In severe cases, your doctor may also give you pills to take.

Some scabies medicines are not safe for children, older adults, and women who are pregnant or breast-feeding. To avoid dangerous side effects, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions carefully.

If you have scabies, you and anyone you have close contact with must all be treated at the same time. This keeps the mites from being passed back and forth from person to person. You must also carefully wash all clothes, towels, and bedding.

After treatment, the itching usually lasts another 2 to 4 weeks. It will take your body that long to get over the allergic reaction caused by the mites. If you still have symptoms after 4 weeks, you may need another treatment.

Bed Sores, Pressure Sores and Decubitus Ulcers Will Cause Severe Health complications Indicates Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:15:00 -0800

Complications of pressure ulcers include:

Sepsis.
Sepsis occurs when bacteria enters your bloodstream through the broken skin and spreads throughout your body -- a rapidly progressing, life-threatening condition that can cause organ failure.
Cellulitis
This acute infection of your skin's connective tissue causes pain, redness and swelling, all of which can be severe. Cellulitis can also lead to life-threatening complications, including sepsis and meningitis -- an infection of the membrane and fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
Bone and joint infections
These develop when the infection from a pressure sore burrows deep into your joints and bones. Joint infections (septic or infectious arthritis) can damage cartilage and tissue, and bone infections (osteomyelitis) may reduce the function of your joints and limbs.
Cancer
Another complication is the development of a type of squamous cell carcinoma that develops in chronic, nonhealing wounds. This type of cancer is aggressive and usually requires surgical treatment.

Bedsores -- also called Pressure Sores or Decubitus Ulcers are Wounds to Skin and Underlying Tissues That Result From Prolonged Pressure on the Skin

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:00:00 -0800

Bedsores -- also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers -- are injuries to skin and underlying tissues that result from prolonged pressure on the skin. Bedsores most often develop on skin that covers bony areas of the body, such as the heel, ankles, hips or buttocks.

People most at risk of bedsores are those with a medical condition that limits their ability to change positions, requires them to use a wheelchair or confines them to a bed for prolonged periods. Many of these people are also dehydrated and malnourished.

Bedsores can develop quickly and are often difficult to treat. Several care strategies can help prevent some bedsores and promote healing.

Bedsores fall into one of four stages based on their severity. The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization that promotes the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers, has defined each stage as follows.

Stage I
The beginning stage of a pressure sore has the following characteristics:

The skin is intact.
The skin appears red on people with lighter skin color, and the skin doesn't briefly lighten (blanch) when touched.
On people with darker skin, there may be no change in the color of the skin, and the skin doesn't blanch when touched. Or the skin may appear ashen, bluish or purple.
The site may be painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler compared with the surrounding skin.
Stage II
The stage II ulcer is an open wound:

The outer layer of skin (epidermis) and part of the underlying layer of skin (dermis) is damaged or lost.
The pressure ulcer may appear as a shallow, pinkish-red, basin-like wound.
It may also appear as an intact or ruptured fluid-filled blister.
Stage III
At this stage, the ulcer is a deep wound:

The loss of skin usually exposes some amount of fat.
The ulcer has a crater-like appearance.
The bottom of the wound may have some yellowish dead tissue (slough).
The damage may extend beyond the primary wound below layers of healthy skin.
Stage IV
A stage IV ulcer exhibits large-scale loss of tissue:

The wound may expose muscle, bone and tendons.
The bottom of the wound likely contains slough or dark, crusty dead tissue (eschar).
The damage often extends beyond the primary wound below layers of healthy skin.
Common sites of pressure sores
For people who use a wheelchair, pressure sores often occur on skin over the following sites:

Tailbone or buttocks
Shoulder blades and spine
Backs of arms and legs where they rest against the chair
For people who are confined to a bed, common sites include the following:

Back or sides of the head
Rim of the ears
Shoulders or shoulder blades
Hip, lower back or tailbone
Heels, ankles and skin behind the knees

Oregon Legislature Creates New Protections Against Elder Abuse

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 07:10:00 -0800

The Oregon Senate backed a bill recently that will make major changes to Oregon law with respect to elder abuse, creating critical new protections for Oregon's most vulnerable seniors. House Bill 4084 integrates several recommendations from a work group on elder abuse created in 2011 including increasing the statute of limitation for crimes against the elderly, modifying records disclosure laws to make sure law enforcement can investigate allegations of abuse, and creating a council to review reporting of abuse to determine root causes of abuse and how abuse can be prevented.

According to the Oregon Department of Human Services, state and local offices investigate more than 11,000 complaints of elder abuse or neglect each year. Oregon's Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act defines an elderly person as any person 65 years of age or older. Abuse is defined as physical injury not caused by accident, neglect leading to harm, abandonment, willful infliction of physical pain or injury, unwanted sexual contact or the inability to consent to sexual contact, or financial exploitation

Bed Sores, Pressure Sores and Decubitus Ulcers Affect over One Million People in Long Term Care Facilities in the United States says California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:25:00 -0800

Bedsores & pressure sores, or pressure ulcers also known as decubitus ulcers as they are medically termed, are thought to affect over one million patients annually in the United States of America.

Tens of thousands of people die annually because of bedsores or infected wounds costing billions of dollars in unnecessary health care costs.

Bedsores can develop in as little as four hours and even when they don't kill, they can inflict terrible pain and rob thousands of patients of their mobility and independence.

Bedsores, pressure sores and decubitus ulcers are caused where a patient lies immobile for a period of time, unable to shift their weight or get up and move around. This places pressure on certain areas of the body - often the heel, back and elbows, reducing circulation and cutting the supply of oxygen and vital nutrients. The tissue begins to bruise, and if a patient is not moved or 'turned' it dies off. In severe cases, this can leave a gaping hole that is not only extremely painful and distressing, but can prove fatal.

The presence of any bedsore creates a major increase in the possibility of the death of the inflicted individual.

There are four grades or categories of bedsores / pressure ulcers:
•Stage 1 - reddening or bruising of the skin;
•Stage 2 - broken skin and shallow ulceration;
•Stage 3 - large in appearance and deep ulceration
•Stage 4 - deep ulceration revealing skin and muscle that has worn away, revealing bone and sometimes internal organs.

Dont let your loved one be neglected and become another statistic. Watch what they are doing in these long term care facilities, ask questions, be an advocate for your elder or dependant adult.

Sepsis is A Bacterial Infection of the Blood Which If Left Untreated Will Cause Death Indicated Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:05:00 -0800

In real life, Sepsis begins as a bacterial infection at a single source, an open wound such as a fourth degree bed sore, pressure sore or decubitus ulcer. Urinary tract infections that remain untreated could also lead to Sepsis and Septic shock causing the death of the infected individual. Which, if uncontrolled, shall spread and become a systemic attack on the body's kidneys, liver, lungs and central nervous system.

It presents as simple sepsis, then moves to severe sepsis and, finally, to septic shock. It can run its entire course within hours. While the condition can be treated successfully, it can present grave challenges. Unless it's stopped at its earliest stage, sepsis can claim one life in every two it invades. More than 200,000 Americans died last year of sepsis. Sepsis care in the last year amounted to $2 billion in the United States.

Complicating its diagnosis are accompanying chronic conditions that can make a patient more vulnerable to sepsis but may also distract a doctor from identifying it. Without a strong understanding of the basics of sepsis, the odds of recognizing a more-sophisticated presentation of the condition are zero.

Sepsis is A Bacterial Infection of the blood Which If left Untreated Will Cause Death Indicated Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:05:00 -0800

In real life, sepsis begins as a bacterial infection at a single source, an open wound such as a fourth degree bed sore, pressure sore or decubitus ulcer. Urinary tract infections that remain untreated could lead to Sepsis and Septic shock causing the death of the infected individual. which, if uncontrolled, spread to become a systemic attack on the body's kidneys, liver, lungs and central nervous system.