When a patient depends on a ventilator to breathe and cannot care for themselves, nursing homes have a responsibility to provide careful, consistent care. That means making sure their breathing equipment is properly maintained, regularly checking their skin for signs of pressure sores, following their doctor’s orders, and quickly responding when they show signs of illness.
These patients are completely dependent on their caregivers. Their safety depends on staff paying attention to even small changes in their condition.
If proper care is not provided, the consequences can be devastating. Patients can develop serious infections, painful pressure sores, breathing problems, and other life-threatening complications.
In our client’s case, nursing home staff failed to follow the care plan designed to keep him safe. Warning signs of serious illness were repeatedly missed or ignored. As a result, our client suffered tremendously and ultimately lost his life.
The Townsley Law Firm represented his family and recovered over $1,000,000 in a settlement.
A Plan of Care That Existed on Paper and Not in Practice
When our client arrived at the nursing home, he was stable. He was alert, breathing comfortably with the help of his ventilator, and his feeding tube was working properly. Although he required around-the-clock care, he depended entirely on the nursing home staff to provide it.
Because he was at high risk for developing pressure sores, his care plan required that staff:
- Check his skin regularly
- Turn and reposition him every two hours
- Provide a special mattress designed to reduce pressure on his skin
These are basic steps that help prevent painful wounds from developing in patients who cannot move themselves.
Unfortunately, the nursing home did not consistently follow these instructions. There were times when staff failed to document whether his skin was healthy at all. When problems were noted, they were not properly described or treated.
Over time, our client developed numerous pressure sores throughout his body. Some became so severe that the tissue had begun to die. Pressure sores like these are not only extremely painful, but they are often preventable when proper care is provided.
Contaminated Equipment and Serious Infections
For patients who rely on a ventilator and a tracheostomy tube to breathe, respiratory equipment must be cleaned and changed regularly. If it is not properly maintained, it can become a source of dangerous infections.
Our client’s care plan required that his respiratory equipment be maintained appropriately. However, the medical records failed to show that this was consistently done.
Over time, he developed multiple serious infections, including pneumonia and several bacteria commonly seen in healthcare settings. Some of these infections are known to be associated with contaminated respiratory equipment.
His condition continued to worsen. He became confused, stopped eating, developed swelling throughout his body, and struggled with breathing problems.
Throughout much of his decline, it was his daughter – not the nursing home staff – who was raising concerns and demanding that something be done. She repeatedly pushed for testing and threatened to call emergency medical services herself when she felt her father’s condition was being ignored.
The Final Failure
Eventually, our client was transferred to the hospital because he was having difficulty breathing.
Doctors discovered that his ventilator had been left on the wrong setting.
The setting being used was designed only to help keep his airway open. It was not providing the breathing support he needed while he was struggling to breathe.
Because of this, carbon dioxide began building up in his bloodstream to dangerous levels. This caused him to lose important brain function, including his ability to properly process information.
By this point, the damage from months of inadequate care had become overwhelming. His pressure sores continued to worsen. His infections persisted. His body could no longer recover.
Our client died shortly thereafter.
The Failures Added Up
This case was not the result of a single mistake. It was the result of repeated failures over many months.
The nursing home failed to consistently follow his care plan. They failed to properly monitor and treat his pressure sores. They failed to maintain and document his respiratory equipment. They failed to recognize and appropriately respond when he became seriously ill. Finally, they failed to ensure that his ventilator provided the breathing support he desperately needed.
Our client was completely dependent on others for his care. Instead of receiving the protection and treatment he deserved, he was neglected and left to suffer.
His death was preventable.
