Nursing homes are an essential business in Florida. But in order to be effective, they must be trusted and offer high-quality care to their patients. One of the best ways to rate nursing homes is by evaluating how they treat bedsores. A nursing home that can adequately treat this debilitating condition is one that is likely run in an efficient and compassionate way.
What are bedsores?
Bedsores are a medical condition and are also known as pressure ulcers. These marks are caused by the lack of movement of a patient confined to their bed. The person’s weight on a particular area can lead to a loss of blood flow and the appearance of painful red marks. Over time, these red marks can lead to tissue death and even the loss of limbs. Bedsores are a common problem that must be treated quickly if a patient hopes to avoid serious complications.
Why are they essential to nursing home ratings?
The importance of bedsores to nursing home ratings is tied to the regular nature of treatments used to prevent these sores. Patients have to be turned and moved on a regular basis. These movements take time, coordination, and at least two nursing home employees in most instances. If a nursing home can perform this task regularly, they are likely a high-quality establishment.
There is also the quantifiable nature of bedsores. An inspector can count the bedsores on each patient and quickly determine how serious these sores are. In this way, bedsores are different from psychological effects or other health conditions that may not easily show up on tests or inspections. While nursing homes have dozens of other tasks that they must perform on a regular basis, preventing bedsores is a definite bedrock of the profession.
