A Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) at the Lakewood Nursing and Rehab Center in Plainfield, Illinois was preparing a 71-year-old resident for his shower. When he removed the resident’s sock a large piece of dead skin sloughed off with the sock, revealing a stage-3 pressure ulcer (also known as a bed sore) that had been completely undetected to this point.
According to the resident’s care plan, he was to receive “… a systemic skin inspection daily… report any abnormality. Report any alterations immediately to nurse.”
Another resident with stage-4 bed sores (the worst stage) was supposed to be turned every two hours. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health report, her treatment chart showed weeks with no shifting.
Interviews with the Lakewood Nursing and Rehab Center Director of Nursing (DON) and the Lakewood Nursing and Rehab Center Wound Care Nurse proved that there was little or no accountability at the nursing home. The DON said that she believed the Wound Care Nurse was responsible for looking into the underlying causes of pressure ulcers (bed sores) and the lack of treatment. The Wound Care Nurse stated that she felt the DON was responsible for investigating bed sore incidents.
As an experienced bed sore lawyer, I’ve seen this kind of finger pointing in nursing home administration many times. Bed sores are some of the most graphic and terrible injuries that a person can acquire. Bed sores are graded on a four point scale. Stage-1 bed sores are generally defined as a red or white patch on the skin. Stage-4 bed sores are deep open wounds that often reveal the bone underneath.
The real tragedy is that bed sores can be prevented with normal compassionate care. Keep the patient well fed and hydrated. Keep the patient dry and clean. Reposition the patient every couple of hours to ensure that there isn’t constant pressure on any one part of the body. These three factors can prevent bed sores from developing.
If you have a loved one who has developed bed sores at an Illinois nursing home, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices, you can speak to me or one of my colleagues for no fee and no obligation. We would welcome the opportunity to speak to you.
Other blog posts of interest:
Neglect results in bed sores at Breese Nursing Home
Providence Downers Grove cited for bed sores
Aperion Care Capitol fails to obtain equipment to treat bed sore