Dear "medethics:" If your friend believes as you do --that the wounds are being caused by, or worsened by, the care being given (or neglected) at any particular hospital, it would be a wise idea to have a close family member or friend available to photograph wounds as they are cleaned (hopefully!!) when dressings are changed. Many hospitals currently use digital photos as part of their records when it comes to wound healing but if this hospital does not, your friend can insist they allow a friend or family member to photograph them.
One simple and immediate benefit of digital photos of wounds is that your friend gets a chance to participate in his own care in that he will be able to see the wounds for himself much better... from the point of view of the nurse, doc or other caregiver. Also, dated photographs of wounds that happen to continually be getting worse throughout the course of care by an institution can do two things: 1) they can be added to official medical records to show whether records acurrately reflect wound size and severity while under an institution's care, and 2) the act of photographing wounds can influence the quality of care the wounds receive! If nurses know additional records are being kept by the patient they are more likely to provide more careful care (not that they purposely get careless... it just happens). He should carefully watch everyone involved in touching the wounds and be certain they wash their hands before touching him and wearing clean gloves every time they touch the wound!! (This includes NOT reaching into a pocket for tape or a pen with a gloved hand and then continuing to use that glove on the wound. After all, what else has been in that pocket? Where else was that pen or tape used?) But along with all that... in fact ABOVE ALL that... he should be sure to be friendly and polite while self-advocating for his care. If he seems to be combative it could be interpreted as refusing care. If refusing certain care is anywhere in his notes, the fault for any problems related to it will fall on him. Best of luck again for your friend! Best regards, --Tod (been there, done that!) ---- medethics Cvlrights <[email protected]> wrote: > I found the answer to my question. At the hospital, they can use a Flexi-Seal system to keep feces away from wounds. This is used instead of invasive surgery such as colostomy. > http://www.convatec.com/en/cvtus-oursltnfus/cvt-portallev1/0/detail/0/1602/1947/our-solution-flexi-seal-fms.html > I also found this link interesting. Stage IV ulcers could have led to my > friends sepsis while in the acute care hospital and can lead to bone > infections. > http://www.convatec.com/en/cvtusfecmngprus/cvt-prtprogdet/0/detail/0/1600/2572/pressure-ulcer-prevention.html > On the page, I read Medicare no longer pays the hospital for treatment of > patients new pressure sores caused by the hospital during their "care". Now I > am starting to understand why they wish to ship my friend out so quickly- he > received new stage IV wounds at the hospital but it appears they may not be > reimbursed because it was preventable. Also, this may explain why the other > acute care hospital is giving us a difficult time to push for a doctor to > doctor- (hospital to hospital) transfer. Very interesting, but I don't know > the solution other than hoping his current hospital will take better care of > his wounds so they will heal.
