Braden Scale Pressure Injury Risk Assessment

The Braden Scale Pressure Injury Risk Assessment form implements the most widely validated and clinically adopted tool for predicting pressure injury development in hospitalized and long-term care patients. It systematically evaluates six subscales — sensory perception (ability to respond meaningfully to pressure-related discomfort), moisture (degree of skin exposure to moisture), activity (degree of physical activity), mobility (ability to change and control body position), nutrition (usual food intake pattern), and friction/shear (degree of friction and shear forces on skin) — each scored from 1 to 4 (friction/shear scored 1 to 3), yielding a composite score that stratifies patients into risk categories ranging from no risk to severe risk.

This template provides clear scoring criteria for each subscale level, enabling consistent inter-rater reliability across nursing staff. The composite score automatically maps to established risk categories: severe risk (9 or below), high risk (10-12), moderate risk (13-14), mild risk (15-18), and no risk (19-23). The form includes a corresponding care plan trigger section that links risk level to evidence-based prevention interventions including repositioning frequency, pressure redistribution surface selection, nutritional supplementation referral, moisture management protocols, and heel elevation or offloading device orders.

Designed for acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, and home health agencies, this form supports compliance with CMS quality measures for hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) prevention and NDNQI pressure injury prevalence reporting. It provides nursing leadership with standardized documentation for regulatory surveys, root cause analysis of pressure injuries, and quality improvement initiatives targeting modifiable risk factors.