Pressure ulcer risk assessment: which tool should I use?

Risk assessment tools help to identify patients’ risk of developing prevent ulcers, and therefore aid nurses and other healthcare professionals in preventing severe complications. Pressure ulcer risk assessment tools in use in the NHS and other UK healthcare settings include the Braden risk assessment tool, the Waterlow score, the Norton risk assessment scale and the PURPOSE-T, as well as the Community Walsall risk assessment tool. Experts explain the challenges in standardisation, data reliability and use of these tools in clinical practice, and offer advice on how to perform a holistic pressure ulcer assessment.