Stages & Development

What is an unstageable bed sore?

According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), an unstageable bed sore is defined as, “full thickness tissue loss in which the base of the ulcer is covered by slough (yellow, tan, gray, green or brown) and/or eschar (tan, brown or black) in the wound bed.

The NPUAP further defines unstageable bed sores as “enough [...]

... more »

What is a ‘kennedy terminal ulcer’?

A Kennedy Terminal Ulcer or Kennedy ulcer is a specific type of bed sore (also referred to as pressure sore, pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcer) that is characterized by rapid onset and rapid tissue breakdown. The ‘Kennedy Ulcer’ was named after Karen Lou Kennedy-Evans- the nurse who discovered the medical condition.
Like most bed [...]

... more »

How should medical professionals document a healing bed sore?

Rather that using a reverse staging description of bed sores, professional in long-term care facilities (nursing homes and hospitals) should use detailed written descriptors to describe the size of the bed sore and evidence that the wound is healing. The benefit of using descriptors to document a healing bed sore is that they are [...]

... more »

Is there such a thing as ‘reverse staging’ for healing bed sores?

No. Once a bed sore (also referred to as decubitus ulcer, pressure sore or pressure ulcer) is categorized as a particular stage, it should not be re-categorized to another stage– even it it heals. In other words, despite that fact that stage 4 bed sore may be healing, it should not be re-categorized [...]

... more »

What are the stages of bed sores?

Bed sores are categorized based on their severity (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4). The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of bed sores, has set forth specific characteristics to help medical professionals objectively categorize a wound.
Stage I- Initially, a pressure sore appears as [...]

... more »

What is a ‘tunneling’ bed sore?

‘Tunneling’ refers to a wound progressing deeper into the body as opposed to growing in surface area.  Tunneling bed sores (or decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers or pressure sores) can be difficult to treat because their outward appearance may be misleading. Tunneling wounds often involve areas larger than those that appear to be involved.
Because of their [...]

... more »

What causes bed sores?

Bed sores form when an area of tissue is compressed between a hard surface and a bony area of the body for a long period of time.

... more »

What are the risk factors for developing bed sores?

Certain individuals are more likely to develop bed sores than others.

... more »

Where are bed sores most likely to form?

The most common places for bed sores to form are over bony areas…

... more »

Ask a question or request a consultation

Have a question about bed sores that you can't find on the website? Please use this form to send this question to an experienced nursing home lawyer:

Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog

Thankfully, We Now Have Many Laws To Protect The Elderly From Abuse In A Variety Of Settings. However, Laws Are Worthless, If The People For Whom They Are Intended To Help Are Unaware Of Them

Monday, February 8 2010

Over the last 20 years, federal and state legislatures have drafted many laws with the intention of protecting the most ...

Professor Devotes New Book To 'Oscar The Cat'-- The Feline With The Ability To Predict Death

Sunday, February 7 2010

Talk about worthless news stories, here's a news-clip about a Brown University professor who will be releasing a new book ...

Lawsuit Alleges CNA At A Golen Living Center Sexually Abused Paralyzed Patient

Friday, February 5 2010

A recently filed lawsuit against Golden Living Centers in Merrillville, IN alleges that a CNA at the facility entered the ...