David J.

My Dad was a resident at a skilled nursing facility in California. His stay was meant to be temporary, not deadly. He was admitted from the hospital after having surgery on a broken hip. My Dad required a catheter due to his new inability to drain his bladder on his own. Three months into his stay he contacted sepsis from bacteria that came from the catheter. (Sepsis and Invasive Devices, Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections, Sepsis and Long-Term Care)

The nursing home contacted my family informing us that my dad was bleeding from his genitals and they were unable to stop the bleeding. We immediately ordered them to call an ambulance. Once he arrived at the emergency room he was unresponsive and his organs had begun to shutdown from septic shock. (Sepsis and Septic Shock) After five days of “comfort care” in the hospital my dad died.

His sepsis was caused from an infection from the catheter that was incorrectly inserted time and time again by the nursing staff at the facility. The E.R. doctor commented that he had never seen that much blood from a patients genitalia before. Nursing homes must be held accountable for the negligence in recognizing symptoms of sepsis. I will advocate for better nursing training and education caused by sepsis until there is a change. Rest In Peace Dad!

Source: Lindsay J, daughter