Life-Changing Injury Can Require Specialized Long-Term Care
When a person suffers a serious illness or injury, those who care for him or her in recovery can be deeply affected by the experience. A patient who has suffered a life-changing injury such as a serious burn is likely to require ongoing, long-term medical care. In some North Carolina medical facilities, as elsewhere in the nation, there are special burn units that are designed to provide the unique environment and specialized care that has been shown to improve a patient’s prognosis.
One nurse, who works in a state northwest of North Carolina, recently recalled a time in the early days of her 40-year career when many burn patients did not survive their injuries. As technology and the science of specialized medical procedures advanced, changes were made which are said to have had a positive effect on patients, as well as the medical staff who care for them. One such change was the development of specialized burn units where patients are sometimes cared for on a long-term basis. According to the nurse, within weeks after the first burn units were opened, survival rates began to rise. She stated that she has fond memories of a patient who suffered burns in a workplace accident who was one of the first to survive and go home.
Similar successes followed throughout the years as more sophisticated equipment and new treatments were developed for use in caring for burn injury patients. New antibiotics and other medications have also allowed medical staff to avert infections and provide better care. The veteran nurse said that she often develops a special and lasting bond with her patients, and many of them return to the facility to visit once their medical treatments have ended.
A life-changing injury such as a serious burn often involves emotional trauma as well as physical suffering. When an injury has occurred due to another person’s negligence, it can add further stress to an already tragic situation. North Carolina residents who have suffered burn injuries might be comforted to know that there are legal professionals available who have experience in helping victims file a personal injury claim in court in appropriate circumstances. It is within a person’s legal rights to do so if he or she decides to seek compensation for the damages his or her injuries have caused.
