Wound Assessment & Care

WOUND
ASSESSMENT & CARE

SKIN
• Skin is the largest organ of the body
• Skin is not just one static layer; it varies in thickness
depending on on the location of the body. The
thickest skin is found on the bottoms of the feet,
while the thinnest is found around the eyes
• There are 3 layers of the
Skin:
• Epidermis
• Dermis
• Subcutaneous(Hypodermis 8
)
Normal
Skin
7
Types of Wounds
• Vascular (arterial, venous, and mixed)
• Neuropathic (diabetic)
• Moisture-associated dermatitis
• Skin tear
• Pressure ulcer
• Mixed etiology
Moisture-Associated Skin Damage
• Also called perineal dermatitis, diaper rash,
incontinence-associated dermatitis (often
confused with pressure ulcers)
• An inflammation of the skin in the perineal
area, on and between the buttocks, into
the skin folds, and down the inner thighs
Determine what it is.
Is it pressure or moisture?
• May be difficult to distinguish between
moisture-associated skin damage and
pressure ulcer.
• Unlike moisture- associated skin damage,
a pressure ulcer usually has distinct edges.
Pressure Ulcers From Other
Sources of Pressure
• Boots, bootstraps,
oxygen/endotracheal
tubes, stockings, and
other devices can also
lead to pressure-induced
ischemia on the skin.
• These are counted

separately for incidence
and prevalence.
2009 Pressure Ulcer Definition
“… localized injury to the skin and/or

underlying tissue usually over a bony
prominence, as a result of pressure,
or pressure in combination with
shear…”
NPUAP/EPUAP Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guidelines.

Pressure
• Perpendicular force—
– Compresses tissue
– Restricts blood flow
– Causes ischemia and
necrosis
– Ruptures cells and
vessels
– Causes tissue
deformation
Shear
• Force parallel to the
skin—
– Stretches and distorts
internal tissue
– May cause occlusion of
vessels perpendicular to
skin surface
• Leads to ischemia and

necrosis
Pressure Ulcer Staging Concepts
• NPUAP classification system:
– 6 stages or categories:
• Stage I
• Stage II
• Stage III
• Stage IV
• Unstageable
• Suspected deep tissue injury (sDTI)
• Base staging on the type of tissue visualized or
palpated.
• Do not reverse stage when documenting a
healing pressure ulcer.
Know Your Assessment Terms
• Eschar.
Cornified or dried out dead tissue.
• Slough.
Liquefied or wet dead tissue.
• Undermining.
Bigger area of tissue destruction can’t be seen
(extends under the edge)
• Tunneling.
Tracts extending out from the wound.
Epithelial Tissue
© Ayello, 2013
Stage I
Definition
• Intact skin with nonblanchable
redness of a localized area, usually
over a bony prominence.
– Darkly pigmented skin may not have
visible blanching; its color may differ
from the surrounding area.
Description
• Area may be more painful, firm, or
soft, or warmer or cooler than
adjacent tissue.
• Stage I may be difficult to detect
in persons with dark skin tones.
Source: National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

Stage II
Definition
• Partial thickness loss of dermis
presenting as a shallow open ulcer
with a red/pink wound bed,
without slough.
• May also present as an intact or
open/ruptured serum-filled or sero-
sanguineous filled blister.
Description
• Presents as a shiny or dry shallow
ulcer without slough or
bruising.
• This stage should not be used to
describe skin tears, tape burns,
incontinence-associated dermatitis,
maceration, or excoriation.
Stage III
Definition
• Full thickness tissue loss. Subcutaneous fat
may be visible but bone, tendon, or muscle
are not exposed. Some slough may be
present.
•May include undermining and tunneling.
Description
• The depth of a stage III pressure ulcer
varies by anatomical location.
– The bridge of the nose, ear, occiput, and
malleolus do not have “adipose”
subcutaneous tissue and stage III ulcers can be
shallow.
– In contrast, areas of significant adiposity can
develop extremely deep stage III pressure
ulcers.
• Bone/tendon is not visible or directly
palpable.

Stage IV
Definition
• Full thickness tissue loss with exposed
bone, tendon, or muscle.
– Slough or eschar may be present.
•Often include undermining and tunneling.
Description
• The depth of a stage IV pressure ulcer
varies by anatomical location.
– The bridge of the nose, ear, occiput, and
malleolus do not have “adipose”
subcutaneous tissue and stage IV ulcers
can be
shallow.
• Stage IV ulcers can extend into muscle
and/or supporting structures (e.g., fascia,
tendon, or joint capsule), making
osteomyelitis or osteitis likely to occur.
• Exposed bone/tendon is visible or directly
palpable. bone
Unstageable
Definition
• Full thickness tissue loss in which actual
depth of the ulcer is completely
obscured by slough (yellow, tan, gray,
green, or brown) and/or eschar (tan,
brown, or black) in the wound bed.
Description
• Until enough slough and/or eschar is
removed to expose the base of the
wound, the true depth cannot be
determined but it will be either a Stage
III or IV.
• Stable (dry, adherent, intact without
erythema or fluctuance) eschar on the
heels serves as “the body’s natural
(biological) cover” and should not be
removed.

Suspected Deep Tissue Injury
Definition
• Purple or maroon localized area of
discolored intact skin or blood-filled blister
due to damage of underlying soft tissue
from pressure and/or shear.
Description
• The area may be preceded by tissue that is
painful, firm, mushy, or boggy, or warmer
or cooler than adjacent tissue.
• Deep tissue injury may be difficult to
detect in individuals with dark skin tone.
• Evolution may include a thin blister over
dark wound bed. The wound may further
evolve and become covered by thin eschar.
• Evolution may be rapid, exposing
additional layers of tissue even with
treatment.

Causes of sDTI
• Falls
• Long OR/ER or transportation times
• Splints
• Accidents
Medical Device-Related Pressure Ulcers
• 9.1% of all identified Most frequent locations

pressure ulcers
Percentage of
• 11.9% of facility- Device-Related
Anatomic Location Pressure
acquired pressure Ulcers
ulcers Ears 20%
Sacral/ 17%
coccyx region
Heel 12%
Buttocks 10%
Remember the Bariatric Patient
• Check between the skin folds
and thighs:
– Rash
– Maceration
– Infection (bacteria or
candidiasis)
– Breakdown
• Pressure ulcers may be in

unusual locations.
Assess the Wound
T Tissue both in and around the wound—
granulation, slough, necrotic black, pink, mix.
I Infection. Any open area always has the
potential for infection.
M Moisture (exudate). This determines type of
dressing needed to maintain balance.
E Edges. Are they contracted, rolling,
undermining?
Documentation
Document
• Location
• Stage
• Length, width, and depth
• Exudate (amount, color, and consistency)
• Tunneling and/or undermining
• Percentage of each type of tissue in wound
(granulation, epithelial, eschar, slough,
fibrinous)
• Wound edges (attached, not attached, rolled
under, irregular, callous)
How To Measure a Wound
Head
Measure widest
width of the
pressure ulcer
side to side
perpendicular
(90° angle) to
length.
To
e
Depth
• Moisten a cotton-tipped applicator with
normal saline solution or sterile water.
• Place applicator tip in deepest aspect of the
wound and measure distance to the skin level.
Wound Assessment and Management
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ1KmqEXvGU
Selecting Dressings and Treatment
Based on—
• Overall medical condition of patient
• Location of wound
• Size of wound
• Wound etiology
• Wound bed tissue involvement
• Exudate amount
• Pain management
• Living arrangements
Care Planning
SKIN ASSESSMENT + RISK ASSESSMENT =
EFFECTIVE / COMPREHENSIVE CARE PLANNING

Today We Talked About
What is wound
How to assess a wound
How to measure a wound 
How to document a wound 

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WOUND

ASSESSMENT & CARE

Determine what it is.

• These are counted

“… localized injury to the skin and/or

NPUAP/EPUAP Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Treatment Guidelines.

• Leads to ischemia and

Source: National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

Source: National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

Source: National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

Source: National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel

• Long OR/ER or transportation times

• 9.1% of all identified Most frequent locations

• Pressure ulcers may be in

SKIN ASSESSMENT + RISK ASSESSMENT =

EFFECTIVE / COMPREHENSIVE CARE PLANNING

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