Objective

To describe the risk of developing pressure ulcer which patients admitted into the critical care taking in consideration the time of measurement and stay.

Methods

This is a quantitative, observational, descriptive, and longitudinal study with a sample of 31 patients. The instrument was administered at four times: at entry, during the 24 and 72 hours, and at the seventh day of stay. In each measurement, the risk was assessed through the Braden scale. The skin status was also assessed.

Result

100% of patients were at high risk during the first 24 hours; and 71% of them were at high risk at the seventh day of admission. 6.4% developed a pressure ulcer during admission, 12.9% at 24 hours, and 35.5% at 72 hours. In general, 45.2% of the patients considered in high risk developed some pressure ulcer at the seventh day of stay. A correlation was observed among the variables risk level and pressure sores at 72 hours (rs P = .04>).

Conclusion

Although the risk is reduced to the half during the first 72 hours, the incidence of pressure ulcer increases in the same period; thus, it is important to perform assessments and re-appraisements to the critically ill patients using a predictive instrument since hospital admission and during the first seven days of stay.