Nursing

Waterlow Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale

Evaluates pressure injury risk across 10 clinical domains (10+ At Risk, 15+ High Risk, 20+ Very High Risk).

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Parameters

Waterlow Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale Result

Formula

Waterlow Score = Build/BMI + Skin Type + Sex/Age + Continence + Mobility + Malnutrition + Special Risks (Tissue Malnutrition, Neuro, Surgery, Meds)

Clinical Pearls

Mandatory clinical nursing risk assessment that drives specialty support surface allocation, preventing costly hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs).

Limitations

High sensitivity but moderate specificity; must be combined with clinical nurse inspection.