Decision-Tree-Based Approach for Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment in Immobilized Patients

Applications where data mining tools are used in the fields of medicine and nursing are becoming more and more frequent. Among them, decision trees have been applied to different health data, such as those associated with pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers represent a health problem with a significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of immobilized patients and on the quality of life of affected people and their families. Nurses provide comprehensive care to immobilized patients. This fact results in an increased workload that can be a risk factor for the development of serious health problems. Healthcare work with evidence-based practice with an objective criterion for a nursing professional is an essential addition for the application of preventive measures. In this work, two ways for conducting a pressure ulcer risk assessment based on a decision tree approach are provided. The first way is based on the activity and mobility characteristics of the Braden scale, whilst the second way is based on the activity, mobility and skin moisture characteristics. The results provided in this study endow nursing professionals with a foundation in relation to the use of their experience and objective criteria for quick decision making regarding the risk of a patient to develop a pressure ulcer.