Does Conducting a Risk Assessment Facilitate Better Care for Patients at Risk of Pressure Injuries?

To evaluate if the use of a pressure injury (PI) risk assessment is associated with the more frequent use of international evidence-based guideline interventions in patients at risk of PI.

Data were collected through a multicenter cross-sectional prevalence study conducted on November 14, 2017. Study authors analyzed data from 532 patients 65 years at risk of PI or older in Austrian hospitals.

Repositioning, mobilization, floating heels/heel devices, moisture/barrier cream, patient education, malnutrition screening, referral to a dietitian, and hydration/nutrition management.

The risk assessment was documented on admission for 80% (n = 435) of the at-risk patients. Patients for whom a PI risk assessment was conducted were older and more care dependent, and nearly 20% had a PI compared with patients for whom no risk assessment was conducted upon admission. Conducting a risk assessment led to a statistically significantly higher number of internationally recommended PI preventive interventions being performed for at-risk patients, such as provision of moisture/barrier cream, mobilization specific for PI, malnutrition screening, and floating heels or heel suspension devices.

These results showed that conducting and documenting a risk assessment led to more recommended interventions being performed. Although such interventions are recommended for all patients, these findings are especially relevant for patients at mild or moderate risk of PI who might be otherwise overlooked, which in turn could reduce hospital-acquired PI rates.