Bed Sore FAQ: Stages & Development of Bed Sores

Current Category: Stages & Development

What is an unstageable bed sore?

According to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), an unstageable bed sore is defined as, “full thickness tissue loss in which the base of the ulcer is covered by slough (yellow, tan, gray, green or brown) and/or eschar (tan, brown or black) in the wound bed.
The NPUAP… read more »

What is a ‘kennedy terminal ulcer’?

A Kennedy Terminal Ulcer or Kennedy ulcer is a specific type of bed sore (also referred to as pressure sore, pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcer) that is characterized by rapid onset and rapid tissue breakdown. The ‘Kennedy Ulcer’ was named after Karen Lou Kennedy-Evans- the nurse who discovered the medical… read more »

How should medical professionals document a healing bed sore?

Rather that using a reverse staging description of bed sores, professional in long-term care facilities (nursing homes and hospitals) should use detailed written descriptors to describe the size of the bed sore and evidence that the wound is healing. The benefit of using descriptors to document a healing bed sore… read more »

Is there such a thing as ‘reverse staging’ for healing bed sores?

No. Once a bed sore (also referred to as decubitus ulcer, pressure sore or pressure ulcer) is categorized as a particular stage, it should not be re-categorized to another stage– even it it heals. In other words, despite that fact that stage 4 bed sore may be healing, it should… read more »

What are the stages of bed sores?

Bed sores are categorized based on their severity (stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 or stage 4 / stage I, stage II, stage III or stage IV). The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of bed sores, has set forth specific characteristics… read more »

What is a ‘tunneling’ bed sore?

‘Tunneling’ refers to a wound progressing deeper into the body as opposed to growing in surface area. Tunneling bed sores (or decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers or pressure sores) can be difficult to treat because their outward appearance may be misleading. Tunneling wounds often involve areas larger than those that appear… read more »

What causes bed sores?

Bed sores form when an area of tissue is compressed between a hard surface and a bony area of the body for a long period of time. When the tissue of the body is compressed, blood flow is restricted. Bed sores can form from one intense period of hard pressure,… read more »

What are the risk factors for developing bed sores?

Certain individuals are more likely to develop bed sores than others. The following are risk factors that should be flagged by medical facilities to determine who may be at a heightened risk for developing bed sores: Being bedridden or in a wheelchair Fragile skin Having a chronic condition, such as… read more »

Where are bed sores most likely to form?

The most common places for bed sores to form are over bony areas like: Elbow Heels Hips Ankles Shoulders Buttocks Back Head Nonetheless, bed sores can form anywhere unrelieved pressure builds on the body. Staff in nursing homes and hospitals should be aware of the areas where bed sores are… read more »

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