The limits of pressure sore prevention

Pressure sore prevalence and incidence were assessed in 275 patients who we re admitted to a well-staffed internal medicine ward during a 12-month stud y period or who were present on day 1. Pressure sore risk was assessed by u se of the Braden scale and patients scoring 16 or less were provided with i ntensive preventive care. During the study period 5.1% (95% confidence interval 2.7-7.8) of 275 patie nts had pressure sores (prevalence) and 4.4% (1.9-6.9) developed sores (inc idence). None of the 239 patients who were assessed as not being at risk de veloped a sore. 36 patients were assessed as being at risk at some time dur ing the study and 12 of these developed sores despite receiving high-qualit y preventive care. The results suggest that not all pressure sores can be prevented in severel y ill patients. We believe that the 4.4% incidence of sores in this study a pproaches the current limit of prevention.