Florida Nursing Home MRSA Infections

May 8, 2021 | Attorney, Matthew Dolman
Florida Nursing Home MRSA Infections

Nursing Home MRSA Infection Lawsuits

Nursing homes are not just settings in which the elderly live out their golden years. They also tend to function as limited medical facilities due to the constant need for healthcare services since advanced age among residents correlates with more health issues. The vulnerability present in elderly nursing home populations creates an environment where certain types of infection such as MRSA can grow and quickly get out of control. Infections such as these should be anticipated by those running nursing home facilities and the outbreak of this health hazard often occurs due to their negligence. 

What is MRSA?

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or (MRSA) is a type of bacteria that is a cause of staph infection. This bacteria is known for being resistant to antibiotic treatment and its propensity for being spread quickly if not handled properly. MRSA can spread very easily through physical contact. Someone with an infection can touch surfaces other will touch or touch other people directly and cause an outbreak. This has led to MRSA being notoriously common in certain settings such as locker rooms, athletic departments, barracks, and most importantly, healthcare facilities which can include nursing homes.  In most cases, people that are infected with MRSA are not in any mortal danger. However, the elderly are a demographic that is extremely at-risk when it comes to MRSA. Elderly immune systems cannot fight MRSA as well which means an increased risk of MRSA spreading and complications. The older someone is the more increased risk of them dying from MRSA infections which do happen in nursing homes. Common complications experienced by those that suffer MRSA infections include:
  • Endocarditis
  • Necrotizing fasciitis
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Pneumonia
  • Sepsis

MRSA Symptoms

When someone contracts MRSA they will typically develop a bump similar in appearance to a spider bite at the site of the infection on their skin. This bump can be
  • Red or pink
  • Swollen
  • Tender and painful
  • Physically warm 
  • Pus or drainage filled
  • Accompanied by a fever

Nursing Homes and MRSA

MRSA can be a very dangerous bacteria in nursing homes and commonly shows up for a number of reasons. Nursing homes are a healthcare setting that creates many of the conditions needed for MRSA to show up such as regular use of antibiotics, many individuals living in close proximity, and many patients carrying a number of bacteria. Nursing home residents that are most at risk of contracting MRSA include: 
  • Residents treated with antibiotics
  • Recent surgery or dialysis patients
  • Residents that use catheters
  • Residents with wounds on their bodies like bedsores

Preventing MRSA Among Nursing Home Residents

Since MRSA can be a real and serious threat to the health of nursing home residents, those in charge of their safety are expected to take adequate measures to ensure that an outbreak does not occur. Steps that should be taken to help avoid the spread of MRSA include:
  • Cleaning rooms and medical equipment
  • Washing hands thoroughly before and after caring for patients
  • Ensuring all patient wounds and injuries are appropriately covered with bandages
  • Taking contact precautions with MRSA risk patients (quarantine, masks, gloves, etc.)

Nursing Home Neglect and MRSA

Nursing homes may fail to take adequate precautions to avoid MRSA outbreaks for a number of reasons. One of the most common causes of neglect regarding not only MRSA precautions but many other causes of nursing home injury as well is understaffing.  Working in a nursing home is difficult and demanding work. Caregivers are very valuable employees since their skills and work ethic are not commonly found in the general workforce at the drop of a hat. What makes this worse is that those with the proper certification to work as caregivers in nursing homes can usually find other work that is less demanding yet still utilizes their skills so nursing home positions are not very attractive opportunities for many potential caregivers.  As a result, nursing homes are commonly understaffed which creates a difficult situation for those that are tasked with caring for nursing home residents. With fewer staff members, tasks and care are spread thin which means less quality care and less oversight. This commonly leads to lapses in procedure like MRSA prevention which can lead to outbreaks and injury among nursing home populations. 

Filing a Lawsuit Over Nursing Home MRSA Infections

Nursing homes should have policies and procedures in place to protect nursing home residents from exposure to bacteria like MRSA that can cause life-threatening infections. If an injured nursing home resident can show that their infection was the result of negligence on the part of a nursing home then they may be able to seek compensation for the damage their MRSA infection caused. A personal injury lawsuit can not only recover damages inflicted by this kind of negligence but also help to ensure this negligence does not occur again. 

Seek an Experienced Florida Elder Abuse Attorney

If you or a loved one have suffered an injury due to the neglect of an assisted living facility, nursing home, or other similar facilities, then do not hesitate to contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA about a free consultation on your possible claim. Our skilled lawyers will sit down with you to layout your options for legal action and how they can use their expertise to secure you the settlement that you deserve. With the lawyers of Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA on your side, you can rest easy knowing that you have a law firm that can back up their claims with a long list of successful cases. Your case will be given the personal attention one would expect from a small firm but will benefit from the resources and reap the results of a large firm. The damages you suffered should not go uncompensated. Consider Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA as your representation in your pursuit to hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for their negligence. For a free consultation on your claim, you can contact us online or call (866) 453-9079 Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA 800 North Belcher Road Clearwater, FL 33765 (866) 453-9079 https://www.dolmanlaw.com/nursing-home-abuse-lawyer/florida/

 

Matthew Dolman

Personal Injury Lawyer

This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits.  Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.

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