Protecting Your Loved One from Hospital Acquired Bed Sores
We have been asked to represent many individuals who developed debilitating and very painful bed sores or pressure sores during a hospital admission. Although nurses and hospital staff are supposed to be trained to prevent bedsores from developing, the sad truth is that many times hospital nurses, staff and even physical therapists neglect this aspect of a patient's care.
As a concerned family member, there are steps that you can take to help ensure that your loved one does not develop bed sores or pressure ulcers during a long hospital stay. Bedsores are developed when bony areas of the body are allowed to put pressure on the skin for long periods of time. The main areas where pressure ulcers or bed sores tend to develop are on the heels, the buttocks and the sacrum. These are the areas that suffer the most pressure when a patient is not routinely turned or moved to remove pressure.
First, you need to recognize the types of patients who are most at risk to develop bedsores or pressure ulcers. Elderly people are susceptible because our skin tends to become thinner as we get older. Patients who are bed or chair bound are at risk because they are constantly putting pressure on their buttocks and on their heels. Similarly, patients with dementia or Alzheimer's are not capable of caring for themselves and need special attention.
Second, you need to know what steps you can take to help protect your family member from developing bedsores or pressure ulcers in a hospital. Make sure that the nurses are turning the patient at least every two hours (unless the patient cannot be turned for medical reasons); ask the hospital to provide the patient with a pressure relieving mattress and with heel protectors. Also, make sure that the patient's skin is kept dry and clean of urine and feces.
Finally, if you see any type of redness or skin breakdown immediately tell the hospital staff and the doctor and ask them to make sure they attend to the bedsore on a daily basis.
