Overview
At the Bedside: Prevent Depth You Cannot Yet See
An older adult admitted after a hip fracture has intact sacral skin but reports focal tenderness.
An older adult admitted after a hip fracture has intact sacral skin but reports focal tenderness. The area feels warmer and firmer than the surrounding tissue, although the colour change is subtle. Waiting for an open wound would miss the intervention window: unload the area, inspect the rest of the skin, reassess after repositioning, and address mobility, moisture, nutrition, and the support surface. The Braden score helps identify vulnerability; it does not diagnose a pressure injury or prescribe one universal turning interval. The clinical task is to recognize how pressure, shear, perfusion, moisture, and the person's ability to move interact, then match prevention and monitoring to that person's response.