Bedsores may be predictable. One way that nursing home staff can predict a bedsore is to use a patient assessment. While there are several different assessments available, today we are going to look at just one so that you can learn what it measures, how it works, and why it is important.
The Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk
One of the assessments that can be used is the Braden Scale for predicting pressure sore risk. Here is how the Braden Scale works. Nursing home staff complete a form and assign a number to six risk factors. The first five factors are scored on a scale of one to four and the sixth factor is scored on a scale of one to three. The factors include:
- Sensory perception: the ability to respond to pressure-related discomfort.
- Moisture: how often the skin is exposed to moisture.
- Activity: how much physical activity the resident gets.
- Mobility: the resident’s ability to control or change his or her body position.
- Nutrition: the resident’s typical or usual food intake.
- Friction or shear: how much the resident is able to move or change position without gliding or sliding along the sheets of the bed or fabric of the chair; how well the resident can sit up without assistance.
A nursing home resident is at greater risk of developing a bedsore if he or she receives a low score on the Braden Scale. Typically, a score of 18 or less indicates that the resident may be at risk of developing a bedsore.
But Bedsores, and Related Deaths, Are Not Inevitable
The purpose of the Braden Scale is so that staff can take actions to prevent bedsores from developing. A plan should be developed that prevents bedsores and potentially serious complications from developing.
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Has Your Loved One Been Injured in a Nursing Home?
If you believe your loved one is being subjected to nursing home abuse you need to speak with an experienced Kentucky nursing home neglect attorney as soon as possible. Contact us online or call our office directly at 888.450.4456 to schedule a free consultation.
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