When you think of all the things that can go wrong in the hospital, you probably do not think about the silent killer – infections.
They are not something that is highlighted in all of the medical TV dramas, but they are more common than most people think. The problem is that most of them are preventable.
How are they caused?
Hospital-acquired infections are all too often caused by the negligence of healthcare professionals and hospital staff. If you need a Camden sepsis or infection attorney, call The Weitz Firm, LLC today. We will work with you to secure the compensation you deserve.
We want to go ahead and get some alarming statistics out there:
Sepsis, or an infection that has spread throughout the entire body through the bloodstream, is the worst form of infection. According to the CDC:
Even if these infections do not cause death, they will certainly increase your hospital bill. How is it fair that you have to pay more for something that happened due to the negligence of someone else?
How do infections spread in the hospital?
The most obvious way is that they spread from person to person. Each doctor, nurse, nurse aide, pharmacist, or other staff members who has contact with patients are supposed to follow proper protocol to help prevent infection from spreading (wearing proper protective gear, washing hands, etc.).
Hospital staff should also remain vigilant and monitor the following closely: central lines, IV sites, recent surgical wounds, catheter sites, and open wounds. A failure to monitor these can lead to an infection setting in rapidly.
The rate of hospital-acquired infections rises once a patient leave intensive care units. Why is this? There should be no reason that hospital staff monitors patients for infection any less in regular care rooms than in intensive care.
Considering how wide-spread the incidences of infection and sepsis in hospitals are, everyone who works in and around patients should take extra care to prevent any contamination from one person to the other.
If you suspect that the negligence or carelessness of healthcare professionals has caused harm to you or a loved one, seek legal assistance. Infections in a hospital setting should not occur at the rate that they do. The only way to cut down on how often they happen is to hold the people responsible for spreading them accountable for their actions. At The Weitz Firm, LLC, we believe that everyone should be treated with a high level of care. When you need a medical malpractice lawyer in Camden, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 267-587-6240.
