Which six factors are assessed by the Braden Scale to determine pressure injury risk?

Which six factors are assessed by the Braden Scale to determine pressure injury risk?

• A. Sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction/shear
• B. Temperature, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction/shear
• C. Sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, pressure
• D. Sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction

Answer: (A)

The Braden Scale determines pressure injury risk by six domains that cover how a person’s sensation, skin condition, and physical and nutritional status interact with the forces that can damage tissue. Sensory perception looks at how well someone can respond to pressure; reduced sensation means pressure injuries can develop without a protective reaction. Moisture addresses skin exposure to moisture from incontinence, sweating, or wound drainage, which weakens skin and promotes breakdown. Activity and mobility measure how much movement a person has and their ability to change position; limited movement leads to prolonged pressure on one spot. Nutrition reflects the body’s ability to sustain healthy skin and heal if injury occurs; poor nutrition impairs tissue strength and repair processes. Friction and shear capture the mechanical forces that can injure skin during movement or repositioning, with shear—where tissue layers slide and separate—being particularly damaging even with modest surface friction. Together these factors form the correct set used to assess risk. Other options mix in factors like temperature or treat pressure as a separate domain, which aren’t part of the Braden Scale.

The Braden Scale determines pressure injury risk by six domains that cover how a person’s sensation, skin condition, and physical and nutritional status interact with the forces that can damage tissue. Sensory perception looks at how well someone can respond to pressure; reduced sensation means pressure injuries can develop without a protective reaction. Moisture addresses skin exposure to moisture from incontinence, sweating, or wound drainage, which weakens skin and promotes breakdown. Activity and mobility measure how much movement a person has and their ability to change position; limited movement leads to prolonged pressure on one spot. Nutrition reflects the body’s ability to sustain healthy skin and heal if injury occurs; poor nutrition impairs tissue strength and repair processes. Friction and shear capture the mechanical forces that can injure skin during movement or repositioning, with shear—where tissue layers slide and separate—being particularly damaging even with modest surface friction. Together these factors form the correct set used to assess risk. Other options mix in factors like temperature or treat pressure as a separate domain, which aren’t part of the Braden Scale.