Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Standardized Systems and Language to Identify Pressure Ulcers

  • The revised National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) and European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (EPUAP) guideline suggests “Category” to replace “stage” or “grade”
  • The accuracy of grading a pressure ulcer can be affected by skin pigmentation, presence of moisture associated skin damage, deep tissue injury and deep ulcers that are progressively becoming shallower
  • To view the International NPUAP-EPUAP Pressure Ulcer Classification System click here
Clinical Management
Risk Assessment and Prevention of Pressure Ulcers
Sample Tools