OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the agreement between nurses regarding classification and assessment of patients' risk for developing pressure ulcer. Methods: A descriptive exploratory study conducted with 22 nurses in four intensive care units of Brazilian university hospitals. The Braden Scale was used for assessment and classification of the patients' risk for developing pressure ulcer. To assess agreement, we considered the score obtained by the researcher, nurse specialist, as gold standard parameter for comparison with scores punctuated by assisting nurses. RESULTS: There was general agreement among nurses only in the assessment of the subscales Sensory Perception, Mobility, Friction & Shear. For classification into risk levels, there was agreement in only two units. CONCLUSION: There were differences of agreement between assisting nurses and difference in classification of patients into risk levels.
Pressure ulcer; Risk assessment; Nursing care; Intensive care units
