The Braden scale is an assessment tool used by healthcare professionals to assess a patients risk for the development of hospital acquired pressure ulcers. The evaluation of the Braden scale is based on six distinct indicators which are sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction and/or shear. The Braden scale consists of six subscales that are scored fro 1-4 with total scores that has a range of 6-23. A Braden score of 15-18 signifies that the patient is at risk for developing a pressure ulcer, a score of 13-14 signifies that the patient is a a moderate risk for developing a pressure ulcer, a score of 10-12 indicates that the patient is at a high risk of developing a pressure ulcer, and a score less than or equal to 9 is an indication that the patient is at a very high risk of developing a presurre ulcer (Ayello, 2011).
Reference:
Ayello, E.A. (2011). Predicting pressure ulcer risk. Retrieved from http://consultgerin.org/uploads/File/trythis/try=this_s.pdf
What a good topic to blog about. In end of life care, we have to assess risk carefully because patients are compromised from more than one persepctive. We also have to keep the patient's trajectory and goals for care in the fore front of our care planning. Some wound treatments are not appropriate when a patient is close to death.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteI agree that some wound care treatments are not appropriate for patients that are near death. I can recall a patient that was admitted for comfort care that had a unstageable sacral decutitus wound and the family members could not understand why the physician would not consider wound debriedment as an option for care and healing of the wound. We explained it until we were blue in the face and the family members were very upset and left against medical advice and tranferred that patient to another facility for comfort care. Thanks for the inquiry.
Keesha