Implications for practice and research

• Pressure ulcers (PUs) are common and often occur in older persons and those with multiple comorbidities.

• Patients with hospital-acquired PUs (HAPUs) have longer hospital stays and higher rates of morbidity and mortality; therefore, prevention and early detection are important priorities for nursing care.

• Interpretation of epidemiological studies of PUs is difficult due to variances in data collection methods and PU classification employed, making cross comparisons between clinical sites challenging.

Context

Development of HAPUs is considered an adverse event.1 Thus, the incidence of HAPU is commonly used as a quality marker for healthcare facilities. One …