If you just discovered a pressure ulcer—or you’re being told it “just happened”—don’t wait.
Do these steps immediately:
- Ask for a wound assessment and the resident’s risk level (e.g., documented risk scoring) in writing.
- Request the facility’s turning/repositioning schedule and whether it was followed.
- Make sure the care team documents what changed (new redness, drainage, odor, pain, reduced mobility, or suspected infection).
- If the resident is transferred to a hospital, keep discharge paperwork and any wound-care notes.
For legal purposes, early action matters because nursing homes may later claim the ulcer was unavoidable. A rapid, well-documented response helps show whether prevention and timely treatment were actually provided.


