Sepsis in a Nursing Home: Could Neglect Have Caused the Infection?
Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency caused by the body’s extreme response to infection.
For elderly nursing home residents, an untreated infection can become dangerous quickly.
When a resident develops sepsis after a pressure sore, urinary tract infection, respiratory infection, wound, or other condition, families often ask whether warning signs were missed.
What Infections Can Lead to Sepsis?
Potential sources may include:
- Urinary tract infections;
- Infected bedsores;
- Pneumonia;
- Surgical or open wounds;
- Skin infections;
- Catheter-related infections; and
- Other untreated bacterial infections.
The question in a nursing home negligence case is generally not simply whether an infection occurred, but whether staff recognized and responded appropriately to signs of deterioration.
What Warning Signs May Require Attention?
Signs can vary, but concerning changes may include:
- Fever or unusually low body temperature;
- Confusion or sudden mental-status changes;
- Rapid breathing;
- Weakness;
- Low blood pressure;
- Increased heart rate;
- Reduced urine output;
- Changes in a wound;
- Loss of appetite; or
- Sudden decline in function.
Elderly residents may not show infection in the same way as younger patients.
When Could Nursing Home Neglect Be Involved?
Potential issues may include:
- Failure to monitor a known infection;
- Failure to notify a physician;
- Delay in obtaining medical treatment;
- Failure to transfer the resident to a hospital when necessary;
- Poor wound care;
- Inadequate catheter care;
- Failure to follow medical orders; or
- Inadequate staffing that contributes to missed care.
Why Medical Records Matter
Hospital records may reveal the severity of the infection when the resident arrived.
Nursing home records may show what symptoms existed beforehand and whether staff documented or responded to them.
Comparing those records can be critical.
Pittsburgh Nursing Home Sepsis Lawyer
If your loved one was hospitalized with sepsis after living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, consider investigating what happened in the days leading up to the hospitalization.
Frank Walker Law represents families in serious Pittsburgh nursing home neglect and injury cases.
If this information may help another family, please like and share this article with your network. Someone you know may be trying to understand whether a preventable infection contributed to a loved one’s decline.