Necrotising fasciitis can arise because of poor nursing care. In most cases, the infection will happen because pressure sores have not been adequately managed, allowing bacteria to enter the wound.
Pressure sores and nursing care
There are other ways in which substandard nursing care will lead to necrotising fasciitis. But the most common example is untended pressure sores.
Patients in hospitals and nursing homes are prone to pressure sores because they are generally immobile and in poor health. Both these factors increase the risk of a pressure sores occurring.
Immobility is a particularly risky because the patient will be unable to move of their own accord. Consequently the same areas of their body will be placed under pressure – for example, if you sit in a chair all day, your buttocks, thighs, back and shoulder blades will be placed under unrelenting pressure.
If a patient does have poor mobility and he/she is in a healthcare setting, the nurses must see that the patient is turned on a regular basis. This will ensure pressure is placed across different areas of the body, preventing the development of pressure sores.
Necrotising fasciitis from pressure sores
Unfortunately this standard of nursing care is not always achieved. In some cases, the substandard level of care will continue once a patient has developed a pressure sore. This means that the sore goes unnoticed and/or untreated.
Failing to manage a pressure sore properly will be very serious as the sore will grow in size. Soon it will be an open wound, meaning it will be easy for bacteria to get into it from an outside source. Bacteria are all around us, and having an open wound such as a pressure sore gives the bacteria an opportunity to enter the body.
The pressure sore might become infected with any type of bacteria. But if it does become infected with the bacteria that cause necrotising fasciitis, it is possible that the flesh-eating disease will develop. Necrotising fasciitis is a fast-moving infection, so once the bacteria get into the pressure sore it will not be long before the condition becomes life-threatening.
Claiming for substandard nursing care
If a patient develops a severe infection such as necrotising fasciitis because of negligent nursing care, there may be grounds for a medical negligence claim. This is because substandard medical care has caused a patient to suffer injuries which could otherwise have been avoided.
To find out more about claiming compensation for a pressure sore infected with necrotising fasciitis, please get in touch with us today.
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