Percentage of residents with a new pressure ulcer (stage 2 or higher)

Pressure ulcers are open sores in the skin which occur when there is too much pressure or friction over a particular spot.  Blood then stops flowing, and part of the skin or tissues below die. They occur more frequently in frail people or people with a disability who cannot move around easily (e.g., those with a past stroke).

Pressure ulcers can be prevented by ensuring that staff assess each resident’s risk of getting an ulcer, providing special mattresses or padding for those at high risk, periodically turning people who can’t move on their own, avoiding incontinence, keeping the skin dry and by ensuring good nutrition.

This indicator excludes pressure ulcers already present when a resident first enters a long-term care home.  It does include cases where a resident was sent to hospital and returned with a pressure ulcer.   In these cases, it’s important that the home communicate and work with the hospital to keep this from happening. 

This indicator measures residents who have developed a new stage 2 to 4 pressure ulcer over the previous three months.

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