Pressure Injury Prevention and Care

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, risk factors, assessment tools, staging, and care principles for pressure-injury prevention and management.

Pressure Ulcer (Pressure Injury)

Localized damage to the skin and/or underlying tissue, usually over a bony prominence, resulting from prolonged, unrelieved pressure.

Comprehensive Skin Assessment

Head-to-toe inspection performed on admission and regularly thereafter to identify factors increasing a patient’s pressure-ulcer risk.

Bony Prominences

Areas where bone is close to the skin (e.g., sacrum, heels) and most susceptible to pressure-injury development.

Device-Related Pressure Ulcer (DRPU)

Pressure injury caused by a medical device such as oxygen tubing, casts, or catheters.

Shear

The force that occurs when layers of skin slide in opposite directions, contributing to tissue ischemia and ulcer formation.

Chronic Moisture

Continuous wetness from incontinence or perspiration that macerates skin and raises pressure-injury risk.

Immobility

Inability to change position independently, leading to prolonged pressure on tissues.

Loss of Sensory Perception

Reduced ability to feel pain or discomfort, preventing a patient from recognizing and relieving pressure.

Malnutrition

Deficiency of calories or protein that impairs tissue tolerance and delays wound healing.

Braden Scale

Standardized tool that scores sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear to predict pressure-ulcer risk.

Early Identification

Recognizing at-risk patients promptly to begin preventive measures before skin breakdown occurs.

Cost-Effective Prevention Plan

Interventions (e.g., repositioning, support surfaces) chosen to prevent/treat ulcers while minimizing resource use.

NPUAP Staging System

Widely used classification that categorizes pressure ulcers from Stage 1 to Stage 4 based on depth and tissue damage.

Stage 1 Pressure Ulcer

Intact skin with non-blanchable redness; may be painful, firm, soft, warmer, or cooler than adjacent tissue.

Stage 2 Pressure Ulcer

Partial-thickness skin loss of epidermis and/or dermis; presents as a shallow open ulcer, blister, or abrasion without slough.

Stage 3 Pressure Ulcer

Full-thickness skin loss into subcutaneous tissue forming a deep crater; may include undermining or tunneling.

Stage 4 Pressure Ulcer

Full-thickness skin loss with exposed bone, tendon, or muscle; often accompanied by undermining, tunneling, slough, or eschar.

Slough

Yellow, tan, or gray necrotic tissue that can obscure wound depth and must be removed for accurate staging.

Eschar

Black or brown leathery necrotic tissue that covers a wound and prevents accurate depth assessment until debrided.

Undermining

Tissue destruction that extends under intact skin at the wound edge, common in Stage 3 and Stage 4 ulcers.

Tunneling

Channel or tract that extends from any part of the pressure ulcer through subcutaneous tissue or muscle.

PUSH Tool (Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing)

Instrument assessing ulcer size, exudate, and tissue type to track healing progress.

Exudate Measurement Timing

In the PUSH tool, exudate is assessed after the dressing is removed and before any topical agent is applied.

Teach-Back Method

Communication approach where patients repeat instructions to confirm understanding, used for pressure-ulcer education.

Recording & Reporting

Document tissue type, size, drainage, periwound condition, treatments, and patient response; report any deterioration promptly.

Nutrition and Healing

Adequate caloric and protein intake is vital; fasting can hinder pressure-ulcer recovery and should be discouraged.