Pressure ulcers (more commonly known as bedsores) are a serious issue in nursing homes. These painful sores typically show up on bony parts of the body, and people with limited mobility — like some elderly people in nursing homes, for example — are at an extremely high risk of getting them due to nursing home staff negligence.
Some insurance companies and senior care facilities argue that certain bed sores are unavoidable, but this usually isn’t the case. A lot of the time, nursing homes don’t want to take responsibility for preventable bedsores because they could end up getting in legal trouble. Neglectful nursing home staff members need to be held accountable, though, so if your loved one develops a bedsore in a nursing home, don’t hesitate to report it.
In this article, we’re going to talk about how pressure ulcers can be prevented. We’ll also be taking a look at the main causes of pressure ulcers so that you can get a better idea of how nursing home staff members are supposed to keep them from happening in the first place. Let’s get started!
What Causes Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes?
There are a lot of reasons why a resident in a nursing home might develop a pressure ulcer. Let’s take a closer look at the main causes of pressure ulcers below.
Prolonged Pressure
When the skin experiences prolonged pressure, it limits blood flow. This means that the skin won’t get the nutrients it needs. This lack of nourishment can result in significant damage and destruction of the skin tissue. Needless to say, this can lead to bedsores forming.
Too Much Friction
Another factor that frequently causes bedsores is friction. When moist skin rubs against clothing or bedding, it can cause more damage to the tissue than you might think. This is a particularly concerning issue for nursing home residents who may find it challenging to change positions on their own.
Shear
Shear happens when two different surfaces move in opposite directions. For example, if a bed is raised at the head, a resident might slide down while the skin covering their bones stays in place. This is why it’s so important for nursing home staff members to be well-trained. They must know how to move residents carefully, so that shear doesn’t happen.
Nursing Home Pressure Ulcer Risk Factors
Residents in nursing homes have a higher chance of developing pressure ulcers, especially those who find it difficult to switch positions on their own. Several factors contribute to this higher risk. Let’s break it down below.
Immobility
People who have limited mobility, whether due to health issues, spinal cord injuries, or other reasons, are at a higher risk of getting bedsores. It’s harder for them to change positions, and this makes it especially tricky for them to relieve pressure on specific parts of their body.
Incontinence
Skin becomes more vulnerable when it’s moist, and residents who can’t control their urinary function are more likely to get bedsores for this reason. Constant exposure to moisture can lead to skin breakdown. This, unfortunately, makes it easier for pressure ulcers to form.
Lack of Sensory Perception
People with brain or spinal cord injuries that make them unable to feel pain might not realize the pressure that’s being put on their skin. This lack of awareness makes it more difficult for them to take preventive measures, which means they’ll be more likely to develop pressure ulcers.
Poor Nutrition and Hydration
If a nursing home resident isn’t getting enough fluids, calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals, their skin tissue will become more prone to breaking down. Proper nutrition is super important when it comes to keeping the skin healthy and preventing bedsores.
How to Prevent Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes
Despite what some nursing homes might tell you, pressure ulcers are (usually) preventable. If you’re a caregiver, or simply want to make sure that your loved one in a nursing home is getting the care they need, you’ll want to take a look at these steps for preventing pressure ulcers in nursing homes:
Reposition the Resident With Adequate Cushioning
Needless to say, it’s important for nursing home staff to regularly shift and reposition residents, especially if they spend most of the day in bed or a wheelchair. Wheelchair users should change positions every 15 minutes, while bedridden patients need to be repositioned every 2 hours.
Using soft surfaces, like cushions, can help minimize friction, so that’s good to take into consideration, too. Thankfully, there are several wheelchair cushions and special mattresses out there that are specifically designed to relieve pressure and lower the risk of developing pressure ulcers.
Take Good Care of the Resident’s Skin
As people get older, their skin gets more delicate. This is why it’s so important to keep an eye on nursing home residents’ skin. Using mild soap for bathing is recommended, as if preventing excessive moisture from building up in their beds or wheelchairs. If the resident happens to have problems with incontinence, extra care and preventative measures will need to be taken.
Daily care for a senior’s skin is essential, and regular inspections are equally necessary. If an elderly nursing home resident develops a Stage II bed sore because their nurse neglected to check their backside, it’s true that once the sore has started, no amount of care may fully prevent it from getting worse. However, with proper monitoring, it could have been prevented from developing in the first place.
Make Sure the Resident Receives Proper Daily Nutrition
When an elderly person enters a nursing home, the facility takes on the responsibility of managing the patient’s calorie, vitamin, mineral, and fluid intake. Inadequate food, nutrient, or fluid intake can, unfortunately, lead to rapid skin deterioration in residents — which can, in turn, lead to pressure ulcers forming. That’s why it’s important to ask questions about your loved one’s diet, frequency of meals, and how often their mineral levels are being checked.
Treatment For Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes
If you or someone you care about has a bedsore from a nursing home, getting treatment quickly is really important to stop it from getting worse. Without the right care, bedsores can get bad fast, but with proper attention, there’s a chance for a full recovery. Here’s what treatment for bedsores usually involves:
Keeping It Clean
It’s super important to keep any open wounds clean to avoid infections. If the skin hasn’t broken yet, washing it regularly with soap and water is recommended. For open sores, they’re often cleaned with water or saline every time the dressing is changed.
Removing Dead Tissue (Debridement)
Dead tissue is removed through a process called debridement. This step is really important because it helps speed up the healing process. If you don’t remove the dead tissue, it can seriously slow down the bedsore’s recovery.
Dressing the Wound
Different kinds of dressings, like gauze, medical gels, or bandages, are used to create a protective layer between the infected areas and the clean wound. These dressings help keep a clean environment for the wound to heal.
Surgery If Needed
If surgery is suggested because the nonsurgical methods aren’t working, doctors might take a patch of healthy tissue from another part of the body to cover the bedsore. In really serious cases, they might even think about amputating a limb as a last resort.
How long it takes for a bedsore to heal depends on how bad it is. Usually, stage 1 or stage 2 bedsores heal in a few weeks or months with the right care. However, stage 3 and stage 4 bedsores might need more time to heal, sometimes months to years. Sadly, there are situations where really bad nursing home bedsores might never completely heal even with treatment.
What to Do if Your Loved One Develops a Pressure Ulcer in a Nursing Home
If your loved one develops a pressure ulcer in a nursing home and you believe it was caused by the nursing home staff’s negligence, you should report it right away. This will not only help your loved one get the care they need, but it’ll be a good way to hold the nursing home staff accountable, too.
Final Thoughts
While pressure ulcers are unpleasant, they are preventable and treatable — especially in the early stages. If you notice a pressure ulcer forming on your loved one’s skin, don’t hesitate to let the nursing home staff know right away. It’s their responsibility to care for the elders within the facility and prevent pressure ulcers from happening in the first place. If all else fails, it’s highly recommended to report the pressure ulcer to a nursing home abuse lawyer. Call us when you need help with a bedsore case.
