Miami Infection Lawyer
No one expects to go to a hospital and get worse during their stay. Yet, this is what happens to countless patients every year. They go to the ER for treatment of a laceration, stay overnight to deliver a baby, or have an elective hip replacement surgery only to pick up a dangerous, and sometimes fatal, infection in the process. If this happened to you or a loved one, the hospital may actually have been at fault. Medical malpractice is much more common than you probably think, and negligent infection control and treatment is right up there among the most common types of medical malpractice. Our Miami infection lawyer at Spencer Morgan Law can help determine if wrongdoing is relevant in your case.
Types of Infections Spread in Hospitals and Nursing Homes
- Virus infections—Examples include Covid, influenza, and respiratory infections
- Bacterial infections—Examples include Pneumonia, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and e. coli.
- Fungi infections—Examples include ringworm and yeast infections.
- Parasite infections—Examples include Giardia and Tapeworm.
Sepsis occurs when the body is in the process of fighting an infection, such as a bacterial infection, and the body releases certain chemicals into the bloodstream. While the intention is to increase inflammation and fight the infection, this overreaction by the immune system can result in organ failure and death. Sepsis is incredibly dangerous, and can occur in a very short time period. It is vital that healthcare providers monitor patients who are at risk of sepsis, particularly those who have undergone surgery, carefully and around the clock.
Infections in Hospitals
Infections are not just one of the leading causes of death in hospitals, sepsis is the number one cause of death in hospitals. Many of these fatalities could be avoided if hospitals were to do everything in their power to reduce the risk of infection. There is a reason hospitals are always so chilly. Many infections have a harder time spreading in colder temperatures. But keeping the AC on is not enough to mitigate the risks of infection, particularly among patients who are already seriously sick or injured. Examples of methods healthcare providers and hospitals should be taking include:
- Hygiene and infection control education for staff
- Hand washing
- Use of gloves
- Use of medical masks
- Use of N-95 masks
- Use of additional personal protection equipment such as waterproof gowns, shoe covers, and face shields
- Sanitizing surfaces, floors, and walls with bleach-containing cleansers
- Quarantining certain patients
- Monitoring food temperature
- Proper disposal of needles, bandages, and other infection-spreading materials and devices
- Identifying contagions quickly and taking immediate action
- Monitoring patients around the clock
- Administering antibiotics quickly when a patient presents signs of infection
Call a Miami Infection Lawyer Today
Antibiotics and general knowledge about how infections spread saves millions of lives every year. But if cleanliness, hygiene, and infection management standards are not met, hospital and nursing home patients are the ones who suffer. If you or a loved one were harmed due to medical negligence, call Spencer Morgan Law today at 305-423-3800 to schedule a free consultation with a Miami infection lawyer.