Assisted Living Facility Fined for Failing to Treat Patient’s Pressure Ulcer (Bed Sore) for One Week

An assisted living facility was recently fined $4,000 for failing to treat a patient’s pressure ulcer (bed sore, pressure sore, decubitus ulcer) for one week, said the state’s department of health, which investigated a complaint at the facility concerning the patient’s care.  During the week in which the pressure ulcer (bed sore, pressure sore, decubitus ulcer) was not treated, the ulcer deteriorated rapidly to deep tissue destruction.  The patient died soon thereafter after being transferred to the hospital.  Read more about the assisted living facility’s neglect of its patient’s pressure ulcer (bed sore, pressure sore, decubitus ulcer).

 

I’ve seen and personally handled far too many claims and cases involving pressure ulcers (bed sores, pressure sores, decubitus ulcers) that are allowed to develop and deteriorate at nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  Typically, ulcers develop because patients are not provided with assistance staying mobile and are not provided with appropriate nutrition.  Assisted living facilities also accept patients who are too compromised and dependent.  Pressure ulcers develop in these facilities because the facilities are unable to meet their patients’ needs.  

 

Pressure ulcers can develop and deteriorate rapidly.  Neglect during one eight-hour shift is enough to set into motion a chain of events that later results in severe pressure ulcers, sepsis, and death.  In the case of this assisted living facility, its neglect spanned 21 eight-hour shifts.  The state department of health properly fined this assisted living facility, just not enough. 
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Robert W. Carter, Jr. is a Virginia attorney whose law practice is dedicated to protecting the rights of the victims of nursing home and assisted living neglect and abuse in Richmond, Roanoke, Norfolk, Lynchburg, Danville, Charlottesville, and across Virginia.