The development of the Glamorgan paediatric pressure ulcer risk assessment scale

Objective:
To develop a predictive pressure ulcer risk assessment scale based on patient data.

Method:
Detailed questionnaires, based on a review of the paediatric and adult literature and discussion with paediatric nurses with expertise in this area, were used to obtain data on patient characteristics from 265 inpatients in a children's hospital and 54 children with pressure ulcers and 17 children without pressure ulcers from 11 hospitals. These data were then combined to compare the characteristics of children with and without pressure ulcers (using the chi-square test).

Results:
The Glamorgan paediatric pressure ulcer risk assessment scale was developed, based on the significance values identified by the statistical analysis. Variables that were significantly (pandlt;0.01) associated with pressure ulceration included: difficult to position, anaemia, equipment pressing or rubbing against skin, reduced mobility for age, prolonged surgery and persistent pyrexia. The sensitivity, specificity and predictive validity of the Glamorgan scale was found to be greater than those for the Braden Q scale, which is widely used to assess pressure ulcer risk in children in the US.

Conclusion:
Using patient data from children and young people in the development of risk assessment tools for this age group may be preferable to modifying existing adult tools.

Declaration of interest:
None.