Skin Infections in Nursing Homes

Skin Infections in Nursing Homes Are Often a Sign of Systemic Neglect

In a properly managed nursing home, skin infections should be rare—and if they occur, they should be caught early and treated immediately. But in facilities where residents aren’t repositioned, wounds go unnoticed, and hygiene is inconsistent, skin infections become both a symptom and a consequence of larger systemic failures.

At The Higgins Firm, we represent families across the country whose loved ones developed painful, dangerous, and sometimes fatal skin infections due to nursing home neglect. We don’t just investigate what happened. We uncover why it happened—and who’s responsible.

What Are Skin Infections?

Skin infections occur when bacteria, fungi, or viruses penetrate the skin, often through a wound, ulcer, or break in the skin barrier. These infections are particularly dangerous for elderly residents because:

• Their immune systems are often weakened
• They may have multiple chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, vascular disease)
• They may be unable to report pain, itching, or discomfort
• They often rely on staff for bathing, repositioning, and wound care

For a nursing home resident, something as minor as a scratch, skin tear, or pressure ulcer can turn into a serious infection in a matter of days—or hours—if it isn’t treated.

Types of Skin Infections Common in Nursing Homes

These infections can result in hospitalization, amputation, permanent disability, or death—especially if they progress to sepsis, a body-wide infection that can shut down organs.

How Do Skin Infections Happen in Nursing Homes?

Skin infections are usually preventable when proper protocols are followed. But in our investigations, we repeatedly uncover:

Facility Failures That Contribute to Infection:

• Failure to reposition immobile residents, leading to pressure sores
• Delayed wound care, allowing small injuries to worsen
• Infrequent bathing or poor hygiene, especially in incontinent residents
• Poor infection control, leading to cross-contamination between residents
• Staff failing to report symptoms, like redness, swelling, or discharge
• Inadequate documentation, making it impossible to track a wound’s progression
• Slow response to fever or pain, leading to undiagnosed systemic infection

These failures are rarely isolated—they point to understaffing, training gaps, or a culture of cost-cutting over care.

Who Is Most at Risk?

Certain residents are significantly more vulnerable to skin infections and require intensive prevention efforts:

• Bedbound or wheelchair-bound residents
• People with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease
• Residents with cognitive decline, who may not communicate pain or discomfort
• Those recovering from surgery or with recent hospitalizations
• Individuals with feeding tubes, catheters, or ostomy sites
• Residents with a history of pressure ulcers, slow wound healing, or immunosuppression

Facilities must create and implement customized care plans to monitor and protect high-risk residents. When they fail to do so, infections become inevitable.

What Staff Should Do—and What Neglect Looks Like

Nursing Home Staff Should:

• Perform routine head-to-toe skin assessments
• Document and photograph any wounds or rashes
• Provide daily hygiene care and moisture management
• Use clean, sterile dressings and wound care products
• Ensure frequent repositioning and pressure relief
• Communicate symptoms to the medical team immediately
• Isolate residents with contagious infections (e.g., MRSA)

Neglect Looks Like:

• No record of wound care for days at a time
• Pressure ulcers listed as “unchanged” despite worsening appearance
• Discoloration, foul odor, or discharge ignored by staff
• Families not notified about infections until hospitalization is needed
• Repeated infections in the same resident—or across the facility

In many cases, the infection is not the first sign of neglect. It’s the last opportunity to intervene before irreversible harm occurs.

Legal Duties and Federal Standards

Under the Nursing Home Reform Act and CMS regulations, nursing homes must:

• Ensure residents remain free from avoidable infections
• Develop and implement personalized wound care plans
• Maintain a functioning Infection Prevention and Control Program (IPCP)
• Provide adequate staff, trained in hygiene and infection protocols
• Communicate promptly with families about changes in health
• Transfer residents for higher-level care when needed

When facilities fail in these duties—and a resident suffers as a result—they may be held liable for negligence, wrongful death, or violations of federal law.

Our Approach to Skin Infection Neglect Cases

At The Higgins Firm, we take a multidisciplinary approach to uncover the truth:

• Medical Record Review – We examine wound documentation, nurse notes, care plans, and infection logs
• Clinical Consultation – We work with wound care specialists, geriatric nurses, and infectious disease physicians
• Facility Inspection Data – We review CMS citations, inspection reports, and staffing history
• Timeline Reconstruction – We build a detailed narrative of what should have happened—and what didn’t
• Family Advocacy – We support your family throughout the process with clarity and compassion

What You Can Recover in a Skin Infection Case

If your loved one suffered a preventable skin infection, your family may be entitled to:

• Costs of hospitalization, wound care, and rehabilitation
• Pain and suffering damages
• Compensation for disability or disfigurement (e.g., amputation, scarring)
• Wrongful death compensation, if the infection was fatal
• Punitive damages in cases of egregious or repeated failures
• Legal costs and expert fees

We pursue every case with the full weight of our national practice—because the harm done is never small.

Why Families Across the U.S. Choose Higgins

• We Focus 100% on Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
• We Represent Clients in All 50 States from our home base in Nashville, TN
• We Have Deep Medical Insight, including wound care and infection control
• We Provide Clear Communication and Compassionate Counsel
• We Take on Large Chains—and Win

You deserve more than apologies. You deserve answers, accountability, and resolution.

Speak to a Nursing Home Infection Attorney Today

If your loved one developed a serious skin infection in a nursing home, and you believe it could have been prevented, we’re here to help. Don’t let the facility’s excuses go unchallenged. Let’s uncover the truth—and take the next step together.