The patient was a quadriplegic following a motor vehicle acci dent. He filed a lawsuit claiming that the skin lesions he con tracted in the hospital were the result of negligent care on the part of...

The patient was a quadriplegic following a motor vehicle acci dent. He filed a lawsuit claiming that the skin lesions he con tracted in the hospital were the result of negligent care on the part of his nurses. At trial, it was noted that the patient's sacral bed sores and decubitus ulcers did first appear while he was immobile in a Minerva brace and on a ventilator. The patient's expert wit ness noted that documentation by the nurses showed that he was turned every 2 to 3 hours, his tube feedings and supplements were correctly given, and he was continually assessed for additional skin breakdown. This expert also testified that the policy for turn ing a patient who was ventilator dependent and a high risk for skin breakdown was every 2 to 3 hours. Was there a deviation from the standards of care in this instance? Review professional organizations' standards of care as you decide this case.