Prevalence of pressure ulcer and associated risk factors in middle‐ and older‐aged medical inpatients in Norway

Aims and objectives To describe the prevalence of pressure ulcers among middle- and older-aged patients in a general medical hospital in Norway and to describe the associations between pressure ulcers and potential risk factors additional to the Braden risk score. Background Degrees of mobility, activity, perfusion and skin status are risk factors for development of pressure ulcer. Nurses’ clinical judgements combined with risk assessment tools are effective to detect pressure ulcer risk. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods The study was performed as part of a research project conducted between September 2012–May 2014 in a general hospital in the capital of Norway. Registered nurses and nursing students collected data from all eligible patients on 10 days during the students’ clinical practice studies. The Braden scale was used to measure pressure ulcer risk, and skin examinations were performed to classify the skin area as normal or as indicative of pressure ulcer according to the definitions by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel. Comorbidities were collected by patient's self-report. This analysis focused on the 255 inpatients at the medical wards ≥52 years of age, most of whom had more than one comorbidity. Results The prevalence of pressure ulcers was 14.9% in this sample. Higher age, underweight, diabetes and worse Braden scores were factors associated with pressure ulcer, and pressure ulcer was most frequently sited at the sacrum or heel. Conclusion Adding age, weight and diabetes status to pressure ulcer risk assessment scales may improve identification of patients at risk for pressure ulcers. Relevance to clinical practice Knowledge about strengths and limitations of risk assessment tools is important for clinical practice. Age, weight and diabetes status should be considered for inclusion in risk assessment tools for pressure ulcers in medical wards.