Bedsores caused by negligence result in MRSA infection
Bertha lived in a nursing home and was admitted to hospital following a chest infection. Whilst there, the doctors felt that it was likely that Bertha was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease as she was suffering from short-term memory loss and confusion. In order to make an assessment regarding her future care, she remained in hospital for three months.
During her stay in hospital, staff failed to monitor Bertha’s pressure areas. They did not carry out frequent repositioning or adequate nutritional assessments.
When Bertha was discharged from the hospital, she had multiple pressure sores on her back and sacral area. She also had scabies despite the fact that her discharge sheet declared that no skin infection was present. Her general condition on return to the nursing home was described as poor and it was reported that the nursing home staff had to clean Bertha’s nails and hair.
Bertha’s son, Jordan, and his wife, Danielle, visited her regularly and were dismayed when her condition appeared to deteriorate in the days following her hospital visit. Bertha showed no interest in food and was communicating less and less. At this point, Danielle queried whether the nursing staff were having difficulty administering her prescribed medication. It then came to light that Bertha’s nursing discharge sheet showed no prescription for anti-depressants or her other medication and so these had not been administered at all.
As her condition worsened, Bertha was incontinent and became bedridden. Her bed sores failed to heal and were creating a bad smell. This prompted tests which showed that she had developed MRSA. In the subsequent months, Bertha’s condition deteriorated and some seven months later she sadly died.
Jordan is sure that his mother’s deterioration, and untimely death, was caused by the poor standard of care she received during her time in hospital and exacerbated by the fact that her hospital discharge sheet failed to specify her essential medication leading to a rapid deterioration.
Whilst the NHS Trust held the view that bed sores and MRSA were an unavoidable fact of life, a case was successfully pursued and, with the help of clinical negligence solicitor and registered nurse, Victoria Blankstone, a settlement of £10,000 was achieved.