National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panels Redefines Pressure Sores

By Sonya Barker | October 3, 2018

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) serves as the authoritative voice for improved patient outcomes in pressure injury prevention and treatment through public policy, education and research. In a ruling made in April 2016, a pressure ulcer is now known as “pressure injury”.

Definitions:

Pressure Injury: A pressure injury is localized damage to the skin and/or underlying soft tissue usually over a bony prominence or related to a medical or other device.

Stage 1 Pressure Injury: Non-blanchable erythema of intact skin

Stage 2 Pressure Injury: Partial-thickness skin loss with exposed dermis

Stage 3 Pressure Injury: Full-thickness skin loss

Stage 4 Pressure Injury: Full-thickness skin and tissue loss

Unstageable Pressure Injury: Obscured full-thickness skin and tissue loss

Deep Tissue Pressure Injury: Persistent non-blanchable deep red, maroon or purple discoloration

To read more about the definitions and descriptions, click here.

NPUAP. (2016 April, 13). National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel announces a change in terminology from pressure ulcer to pressure injury and updates the stages of pressure injury. Retrieved from https://npuap.org/page/PressureInjuryStages?&hhsearchterms=%222016+and+redefine%22

Posted in News and tagged bony prominence, education, erythema, exposed dermis, Improved patient outcomes, intact skin, non-blanchable, NPUAP, pressure injury, pressure injury prevention, pressure ulcer, public policy, research, skin loss, soft tissue, The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, tissue loss