Is the Braden Scale an Appropriate Tool for Pressure Ulcer Prevention? [Poster]

Pressure ulcers (PU, also known as bedsores) are breakdowns of the skin resulting from undue pressure, particularly over bony prominences. There are various assessment tools to determine patient risk for developing skin breakdown; the Braden Scale (BS) is one. The population we researched was hospitalized patients, and our intervention was using the BS for pressure ulcer prevention versus not using the BS. The outcomes we predict are that BS implementation in a hospital setting will minimize the prevalence of PU in hospitalized patients, and the time varies, depending on length of stay. We searched through PubMed, CINAHL, NCBI at NCM, OVID, and Medline databases with the keywords Braden Scale, accuracy, pressure ulcer prevention, accuracy, hospital setting, and validation to find studies to use in this evidence-based presentation. These studies showed that without the involvement of clinical judgment, the BS alone might not be an effective means of PU prevention. [Poster