A pressure ulcer is localized damage to skin and underlying tissue resulting from prolonged pressure, usually over a bony prominence such as the sacrum, heels, or hips. Staging runs from Stage 1, intact skin with non-blanchable redness, through Stage 4, full-thickness loss exposing muscle or bone, with additional categories for unstageable and deep tissue injuries.
Clinically, some pressure injuries are avoidable through repositioning, nutrition, and offloading, while others are recognized as unavoidable in patients with severe comorbidities or end-of-life physiology.
Alternative Names:
Pressure Injury, Bedsore, Decubitus Ulcer
Why it Matters?
Pressure injuries are among the most frequently litigated allegations in nursing home and hospital claims because they are visible, stageable, and documented over time. The defense turns on whether the injury was avoidable, whether assessment and repositioning were documented, and whether the resident's overall condition made deterioration inevitable.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Are all pressure ulcers evidence of neglect?
Why does staging matter in litigation?
