Pressure Ulcers: The Daily PANCE Blueprint
Upon physical exam of a patient, you note a sacral pressure ulcer with full-thickness skin and tissue loss with exposed muscle and tendon in the ulcer. Which of the following stage is this pressure ulcer at?
A. Stage 1
B. Stage 2
C. Stage 3
D. Stage 4
E.Unstageable
Answer and topic summary
The answer is D. Stage 4
Pressure ulcers are localized areas of damaged skin or tissue over a bony prominence. The ulcers are caused by extensive pressure on the area. Here are the classifications of pressure ulcers
Stage 1: Intact skin, localized area of erythema
Stage 2: partial-thickness loss of skin with exposed dermis; the wound is pink/red/moist; may present as intact or ruptured blister
Stage 3: full-thickness loss of skin, adipose tissue is visible in the ulcer; often granulation tissue is present; possible slough/eschar
Stage 4: full-thickness loss of skin and tissue loss w/ exposed fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament, or bone
Unstageable: can’t stage due to slough or eschar obscuring the ulcer
View blueprint lesson
Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:
Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Dermatology ⇒ ⇒
Also covered on the Family Medicine EOR and General Surgery PAEA rotation content topic list
