What is the Braden Scale, what score indicates high risk, and what factors are assessed?

What is the Braden Scale, what score indicates high risk, and what factors are assessed?

• A. Braden Scale ranges 6-23; lower score indicates higher risk; factors: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction/shear.
• B. Braden Scale ranges 0-100; higher score indicates higher risk; factors: blood pressure, heart rate, respiration.
• C. Braden Scale ranges 1-10; lower score indicates lower risk; factors: age, wound size, infection.
• D. Braden Scale ranges 10-40; higher risk; factors: pain, edema, temperature.

Answer: (A)

The Braden Scale is a tool used to predict a patient’s risk for developing pressure injuries by evaluating six areas of function. The total score ranges from 6 to 23, with lower scores indicating greater risk. The six factors it assesses are sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear. These domains capture how a person’s ability to feel pressure, skin condition under moisture, level of activity, ease of changing position, nutritional status, and the mechanical forces on the skin contribute to tissue integrity. In practice, a low Braden score signals high risk (often around 16 or below, though exact cutoffs can vary by setting), prompting preventive measures like turning schedules, moisture management, nutrition optimization, and pressure-relieving supports. Other options don’t fit because they show incorrect score ranges or assess unrelated factors like vitals or wound size.

The Braden Scale is a tool used to predict a patient’s risk for developing pressure injuries by evaluating six areas of function. The total score ranges from 6 to 23, with lower scores indicating greater risk. The six factors it assesses are sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction/shear. These domains capture how a person’s ability to feel pressure, skin condition under moisture, level of activity, ease of changing position, nutritional status, and the mechanical forces on the skin contribute to tissue integrity. In practice, a low Braden score signals high risk (often around 16 or below, though exact cutoffs can vary by setting), prompting preventive measures like turning schedules, moisture management, nutrition optimization, and pressure-relieving supports. Other options don’t fit because they show incorrect score ranges or assess unrelated factors like vitals or wound size.