Pressure Ulcers, Prevention, and Patient Transfer Techniques

Vocabulary flashcards covering the stages of pressure ulcers, skin assessments, risk factors, and safe patient transfer techniques based on the lecture.

Pressure ulcer

A localized injury to the skin, underlying tissue, or both, typically occurring over a bony prominence due to pressure or a combination of pressure and shear (also known as a decubitus ulcer or pressure wound).

Bony prominence

An anatomical area where bone lies close beneath the skin—such as the elbow, ankles, hip, shoulder blades, or tailbone—making it particularly vulnerable to pressure injuries.

Shear

A mechanical injury caused when a patient's skin adheres to sheets or surfaces during movement, pulling and peeling away the top layer of skin.

Blanching

The momentary lightening or whitening of the skin when finger pressure is applied, followed by a return to its normal color once pressure is released.

Stage 1 pressure ulcer

A pressure injury where the skin remains unbroken and is not an open wound; the affected area appears reddened, does not blanch, may feel warmer than surrounding skin, and can feel firm or soft.

Stage 2 pressure ulcer

A pressure injury where the skin breaks open to form an ulcer, shallow crater, or abrasion, potentially presenting as an intact blister filled with clear fluid, and is typically tender and painful.

Abrasion

A superficial scrape or scrape-like skin injury, similar in appearance to road rash.

Stage 3 pressure ulcer

A pressure injury extending deep into the subcutaneous tissue beneath the skin to form a crater where fat may be visible; it may involve tunneling and often produces little to no pain due to destroyed nerve endings.

Tunneling

A condition where wound damage burrows and spreads beneath the skin, creating an area of tissue destruction that is significantly larger than the visible surface opening.

Stage 4 pressure ulcer

A severe, deep pressure wound that extends through subcutaneous tissue to expose deep structures such as muscle, bone, fat, and tendons.

Unstageable pressure injury

A suspected or deep tissue injury that cannot be assigned a definitive stage because the wound bed is not visible.

Neuropathy

A condition characterized by damaged nerve endings and reduced sensory perception, frequently experienced by individuals with diabetes.

Edema

Swelling in the body's tissues caused by an accumulation of fluid.

Gait belt

A safety device used by healthcare providers during resident transfers and ambulation to ensure control and minimize risk of injury.