Ulcer Wounds in Nursing Homes

Ulcer wounds in nursing homes are not acceptable. Our Illinois nursing home abuse lawyer can determine how your loved one’s ulcers happened and what you can do to hold any and all liable parties accountable. In the meantime, read on for general information about what ulcers are and which healthcare strategies can help prevent them.

What Are Ulcers, and How Do They Happen in Nursing Homes?

Ulcers are all too prevalent in nursing home residents and are often a sign of nursing home abuse. The most common types of ulcer wounds that occur in nursing homes include pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers (which are also a form of pressure ulcer), venous ulcers, and arterial, or ischemic, ulcers.

Regardless of the type, ulcer wounds are a sign of neglect or an indication that the nursing home is understaffed and should be reported immediately. However, it is still important to know the differences between types of ulcers, since knowing the type can help identify the cause of the ulcer and can lead to the appropriate course of treatment.

Pressure Ulcers

Pressure ulcers are also commonly known as bedsores. They result from prolonged exposure of the skin to pressure and/or shearing and friction. These localized injuries usually overlay a bony protrusion or occur in an area of the body that is not cushioned by fat.

Pressure ulcers are categorized into four stages, or possibly even as “unstageable” if the wound is of indeterminate depth and severity.

Bedsores are typically easy to prevent, so long as nursing home staff is diligent about regularly repositioning the resident and keeping them clean and dry.

Diabetic Ulcers

Also called neuropathic or neurotrophic ulcers, diabetic ulcers commonly occur on the feet of diabetic individuals, in particular on the heel, and are full-thickness penetrations of the dermis.

These types of ulcers occur because of a combination of two factors:

• Prolonged exposure to pressure
• A lack of sensation in the foot, meaning the resident is unable to sense or detect pain

Since there is no feeling in the lower extremities, there is no pain associated with diabetic ulcers. The wound has a punched-out appearance, but overall, diabetic ulcers can vary in how they look. This is because the extent of the wound depends on the blood flow to the affected area. The skin surrounding a diabetic ulcer often appears calloused.

Regular examinations of the feet, either by the resident or their doctor or both, can often catch diabetic ulcers before they become too severe.

Venous Ulcers

Residents with blood circulation issues may be at increased risk of venous ulcers. This kind of wound occurs when the resident’s veins fail to carry blood all the way from the foot back to the heart. Instead, the blood remains in the lower legs, and the resulting pressure can cause ulcers around the ankles. Symptoms include itching, swelling, pus, and an odd smell.

Certain lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking and managing circulation-related conditions like high blood pressure, can keep venous ulcers from developing.

Arterial Ulcers

These ulcers are also called ischemic ulcers. They form when there is insufficient blood supply to the capillaries of an area of skin, and the tissue dies because it is deprived of oxygen and nutrients.

As a result, these types of ulcers have a punched-out appearance and will either have a slough in the wound bed, making the wound appear black, brown, gray, green, or yellow, or there will be bright red, granulated-looking tissue in the wound bed. The edges or borders of arterial ulcers are smooth, but the whole area surrounding the wound may appear red and irritated.

This type of ulceration is often the result of arterial occlusion and can cause claudication (pain caused by too little blood flow) or gangrene (death of body tissue due to lack of blood).

Wound prevention typically involves regular examinations, regular exercise, and treating conditions (e.g., high cholesterol and high blood pressure) that increase the risk of arterial ulcers.

Preventing Ulcers in Nursing Homes

One of the shared commonalities among all types of ulcers is that the best way to manage them is through preventative care. Nursing homes should be checking all residents regularly and adjusting their care plans as necessary. Unfortunately, thanks to understaffing and inadequate training, many nursing homes fail to do so.

Lack of staffing can lead to any number of problems:

• There may not be enough staff to carry out a thorough check-up of every resident on a regular basis.
• Even if a staff member does examine a resident, they may not have the training to recognize early signs of an ulcer or know what to do about it.
• Lack of training also means that staff members may not recognize the importance of certain nursing protocols, such as repositioning, so they may skip these critical steps.
• Overworked staff may not have the time to follow up on possible health issues or complaints from residents until those issues become very serious.
• Communication between staff members might be lax, so even if a staff member reports a concern to a doctor or someone else, that report may not be acted on immediately.

Once the ulcer has formed, regardless of its type, wound care management will take a long time, and pharmaceuticals offer little, if any, aid in treatment.

Seeking Legal Guidance for Ulcer Wounds

If your loved one has sustained a diabetic, pressure, venous, or arterial ulcer while residing in a nursing home facility, please contact The Rooth Law Firm today. Our Evanston nursing home abuse lawyer can hold the facility accountable for failing to provide adequate care. With the money you win from a legal action, you could ensure your loved one gets all of the treatment they need, both now and in the future.

ILLINOIS NURSING HOME ABUSE LAWYER

CALL US NOW 847-869-9100

Written by

Robert Rooth

Robert J. Rooth is the founder of The Rooth Law Firm, which focuses on nursing home abuse and personal injury cases. He has devoted his career to seeking justice on behalf of the underserved.