Jenny Alderden, assistant professor in School of Nursing was recognized on Sunday, June 3, at the 50th Annual Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society Conference. Alderden and her colleagues were awarded the WOCN Research Manuscript award for their work on “Mid-range Braden Subscale scores are associated with increased risk for pressure injury among critical care patients.” The Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing’s mission is to publish current best evidence and original research to guide the delivery of expert health care.
The purpose of Alderden and her team’s study was to examine the relationship between pressure injury development and the assessment tool known as the Braden Scale for Pressure Sore Risk in a surgical Intensive Care Unit population, and to determine whether the risk represented by the scores is different between older and younger patients. The study included a patient population of 6,377 admitted to a medical trauma center in Utah between January 1, 2008 to May 1, 2013. The conclusion showed that the relationship between age, Braden Scale subscale scores, and pressure injury development varied among subscales. Maximum preventive efforts should be extended to include individuals with intermediate Braden Scale subscale scores and age should be considered along with the subscale as a factor in care planning.
To explore more about Alderden’s research, read her published work using the following citation.
Alderden, J.G., Cummins, M., Pepper, G.A., Zhang, Y.Y., Butcher, R., & Thomas, D. (2017). Mid-range Braden subscale scores are associated with increased risk for pressure injury among critical care patients. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, 44 (5), 420-428.