Assessment and consideration of foot risk factors is essential for proactive prevention of hospital-acquired foot pressure injuries

The research outlined in this article aimed to see if high-risk feet were also identified as ‘at risk of ulceration’ by the Braden Score. One-hundred-and thirty- two patients had foot risk stratified by a podiatrist and their admission Braden pressure injury (PI) risk level was compared. Only 36% were decreed to be at the same level of risk by both methods. The lack of agreement was demonstrated by a very low Kappa score. The Braden score underestimated PI risk to feet for 52% of the study population. Therefore, the authors concluded that less reliance on the Braden score is needed for the implementation of prevention to reduce rates hospital-acquired foot PIs.