Sepsis is a severe and life-threatening condition that can result from the body’s response to an infection.
While it can occur naturally, there are instances where sepsis is the consequence of medical malpractice within health care settings.
4 reasons sepsis can occur in medical settings
Sepsis can result from various infections, and it is a medical emergency. Sepsis can lead to long-term injuries, including organ damage or death. Unfortunately, it can sometimes take providers far too long to recognize what is happening to a patient right in front of their eyes.
Even worse, sepsis may be the result of:
- Inadequate hygiene practices: Infections can occur within medical settings when proper procedures are not followed to make sure that medical equipment, providers’ hands and things in the patient’s room are not properly cleaned.
- Poor sterilization procedures: Surgical rooms and surgical equipment have to be properly sterilized to prevent patients from contamination by bacteria that can lead to sepsis.
- Surgical errors: Sepsis can also result from surgical errors, such as leaving surgical instruments or foreign objects inside a patient after a procedure. Surgeons and medical staff sometimes fail to adhere to safety protocols that minimize the chances of such mistakes.
- Mismanagement of catheters and IV lines: Catheters and intravenous lines can push dangerous bacteria into a patient’s body. Leaving these items in a patient’s body too long without changing them can also cause infections to start.
Sepsis can cause fevers, rapid heart rates, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, an elevated white blood cell count and altered mental states or confusion. Doctors can be too quick to dismiss these signs, especially in older patients.
If a loved one suffered permanent injuries or death due to hospital-acquired sepsis, it would be wise to seek experienced legal guidance.