title: Clinical variance in assessing risk of pressure ulcer development.
abstract: Nurses working in one area health service (AHS) in Sydney, Australia, expressed concern about the development of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients. Anecdotal evidence suggested that a variety of approaches were being used to assess patients to identify those at risk of pressure ulcer development. A questionnaire was distributed to all registered nurses (n = 2113) in clinical settings within the AHS. Data were analysed using frequency distribution. The response rate was 40% (n = 850), of which 444 were useable. Nurses generally do not use a tool to assess pressure ulcer risk potential, but rely on a range of practice procedures and risk indicators. It is recommended that a pressure ulcer project group be established to evaluate existing tools or, if necessary, develop a tool for the assessment of patients to identify those at risk of developing pressure ulcers.
authors.affiliation: University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Burr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broadbent
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merriman
mesh_terms: D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment