Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk
The Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk is a widely used assessment tool developed in the 1980s by Barbara Braden and Nancy Bergstrom to evaluate patients' risk of developing pressure sores, also known as bedsores or pressure ulcers. This scale categorizes risk into six key areas: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction or shear. Each category assesses different factors that contribute to the likelihood of pressure sore development, such as a patient's ability to sense pain, their level of physical activity, and their skin condition. Pressure sores occur when bony areas of the body are subjected to prolonged pressure, often affecting individuals who are bedridden or use wheelchairs. While many cases of pressure sores are treatable, they can lead to serious complications, including infections that may be life-threatening. The Braden Scale has been translated into multiple languages and is utilized globally in hospitals to guide preventative care, allowing healthcare providers to tailor interventions based on assessed risk levels. Understanding and applying the Braden Scale is essential for improving patient outcomes and preventing the serious implications associated with pressure ulcers.
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Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk
The Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk is a chart developed by Barbara Braden and Nancy Bergstrom in the 1980s. Medical professionals use this chart to assess patients' risk of developing bedsores, also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers. Many hospitals have adopted this scale and now use it to provide preventative care to patients at risk of developing pressure sores. The chart has six categories—including nutrition, activity, moisture, friction, mobility, and sensory perception—to measure patients' risk accurately.
Pressure sores are damaged tissue that result from bony areas of the body remaining in the same position for extended periods. While usually treatable, some of the damage from pressure sores may be permanent. Additionally, some pressure sores are prone to life-threatening infections.
Overview
Nurse Barbara Braden first developed the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk in 1984. Together with Dr. Nancy Bergstrom and other colleagues, Braden tested this scale for a several years and released the results in the late 1980s. The scale was designed as a method for hospital workers to assess patients' risk of developing pressure sores, allowing them to treat their patients in a more informed manner.
The scale quickly grew in popularity. Professionals translated the scale into several languages, and health care workers in hospitals around the world began to use it. Medical institutions could now match their preventative care measures to whatever risk level the patient was measured at by the chart.
The Braden Scale splits a patient's risk for developing pressure sores into six categories: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction or shear. Sensory perception refers to a patient's ability to respond to painful sensations related to pressure. It includes a patient's ability to feel pain and his or her ability to communicate such pain to others, both of which can be impaired by sedation. Moisture refers to the dryness of the patient's skin. Activity refers to the patient's level of physical activity. Certain injuries can impair a patient's ability to exercise, so some patients may have low activity levels. Nutrition refers to the patient's diet. Finally, friction and shear both refer to how much assistance a patient needs in bed. Some patients may be able to sit up, shift, and move themselves without difficulty. Others may be unable to move without assistance.
Pressure sores are areas where the skin is damaged from staying in one position for too long. They are most common in bedridden individuals or individuals who use wheelchairs. Because these individuals often cannot move themselves, they require periodic assistance to prevent the formation of pressure sores.
Most individuals who develop pressure sores recover with proper treatment. However, some tissue damage caused by the sores may never fully heal. Additionally, pressure sores can result in difficult-to-treat infections, which can be life threatening. Symptoms of pressure sores include unusually tender skin, swelling, pus draining, and oddly colored skin. Pressure sores occur most commonly in bony areas of the body, such the heels, ankles, hips, back, and shoulder blades.
Bibliography
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Braden, Barbara. "25th Anniversary Commentary: The Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk: Reflections After 25 Years." Advances in Skin & Wound Care: The Journal for Prevention and Healing, vol. 25, no. 2, Feb. 2012, p. 61.
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