ABSTRACT
This study is aims to study the risk levels and the occurrence of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients with limited activity. The study was conducted in a medical setting at Siriraj Hospital from January 15th to May 31st, 2001. One Hundred patients were enrolled into the study. The data collection procedure included the completion of Braden's pressure ulcer risk assessment form and Bergstrom's skin assessment form on day of admission and this continued throughout the study. The results showed that 28 % of the patients had no risk of pressure ulcer development, while 25 % showed a low risk level, 22 % showed a moderate risk level, and 25 % showed a high risk level. The incidence of pressure ulcer was 40 %. Sixty-five % of those who developed pressure ulcers were age 60 and over and 83 % of them had chronic illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension before hospital admission. There were 96 ulcers found in 40 patients. Of these ulcers, 59 ulcers were stage I while 37 ulcers were stage II. The ulcers most frequently occurred during the first week of hospitalization. The average length of hospital stay of patients who had a pressure ulcer was 14 days while in those who did not have pressure ulcer the stay was only 10 days. The occurrence of pressure ulcers on hospitalization and the number of patients at risk of pressure ulcer development highlight the magnitude of the problem. The results support the need for risk assessment and skin assessment at the time of admission and periodically throughout the hospital stay and could contribute to establishment of a pressure ulcer risk assessment tool as a guideline in nursing practice for predicting and preventing pressure ulcers.