What Misdiagnoses are Common in Nursing Homes?

According to the National Library of Medicine, approximately 1 in 20 adult patients will receive a misdiagnosis at some point in their lives. While anyone can suffer harm due to a misdiagnosis, these medical mistakes are particularly dangerous for elderly nursing home residents. Nursing home residents depend on the medical professionals and staff members in the facility to exercise good judgment and provide the proper care. Sadly, this does not always happen. Below, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney outlines the four conditions that are most commonly misdiagnosed in these facilities.

Heart Attacks 

Different people experience different symptoms when they are having a heart attack, and these life-threatening conditions also come with varying levels of pain. Medical staff in nursing homes often commonly misdiagnosed heart attacks as indigestion or anxiety attacks. Older people are more likely to suffer a heart attack and if they do not receive proper treatment, they will find it much harder to make a full recovery. Making sure that your loved one regularly has their heart checked can make you aware of any cardiac problems.

Cancer 

Cancer has become very common today and with the different improvements in technology, it is also easier to detect. However, not all symptoms are obvious and nursing home medical staff may miss them or attribute them to another condition. Cancer is misdiagnosed up to 44 percent of the time, according to the Journal of Clinical Oncology. It is also even more important for elders to catch cancer as early as possible, as they are not always strong enough to undergo certain treatments that are more aggressive.

Strokes 

Strokes often have symptoms that are mistaken for vertigo, intoxication, or a migraine. Strokes are very detrimental to the health of elderly individuals, and they are also very difficult to recover from. If your loved one complains of numbness in the face, legs, or arms, or they seem confused and have trouble walking or seeing, you should speak to a doctor about a possible stroke.

Depression 

It is not only physical ailments that are commonly misdiagnosed, but mental health issues, too. Depression is one such mental health condition that is commonly misdiagnosed, particularly in nursing home residents. These individuals are often quiet and keep to themselves anyway due to their advanced age and so, depression may not always be readily noticed. Always monitor your loved one’s mental health and if there are any changes in the status of it, make sure they get the help they need. If not treated, depression can lead to worsened physical health, too.

Our Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Tampa Can Help After a Misdiagnosis 

A misdiagnosis is very serious for any senior that receives one. At Kohn Law, our Tampa nursing home abuse attorney can determine when a negligent misdiagnosis occurred and help your loved one obtain the compensation they need for their injuries. Call us now at 813-428-8504 or chat with us online to schedule a free review of your case and to learn more about how we can help.

Sources:

ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2007.13.2142 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338594/