Challenging assumptions on prevention of pressure injuries

Wynn, M ORCID: 0000-0001-9021-4747 (2025) Challenging assumptions on prevention of pressure injuries. British Journal of Nursing, 34 (12). S4-S12. ISSN 0966-0461

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Abstract

Pressure injuries have long been framed as being largely preventable through appropriate nursing interventions. However, emerging evidence challenges this assumption, highlighting systemic, physiological and patient-specific factors that contribute to their development and progression, many of which lie beyond nursing control. Pressure ulcers can result from patient pathophysiology, with the growing recognition of skin failure as a distinct phenomenon. Evidence can be lacking around nursing interventions, such as repositioning, dressings and risk assessment tools; additionally, the high expectations placed on nurses are not justified by scientific evidence. There should be a shift away from a blame-based approach and overconfidence in the value of nursing interventions towards a more nuanced understanding of pressure injuries prevention as a complex, multifactorial challenge in need of further research attention.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in British Journal of Nursing, copyright © MA Healthcare, after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2025.0038
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Humans; Pressure Ulcer; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Humans; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Pressure Ulcer; Nursing interventions; Pressure injuries; Prevention; Risk factors; Skin failure; Wound care; Humans; Pressure Ulcer; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; 4203 Health Services and Systems; 4205 Nursing; 42 Health Sciences; Prevention; Physical Injury - Accidents and Adverse Effects; Clinical Research; 3 Good Health and Well Being; Humans; Pressure Ulcer; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; 1110 Nursing; 4205 Nursing
Subjects:	R Medicine > RT Nursing
Divisions:	Nursing and Advanced Practice
Publisher:	Mark Allen Group
Date of acceptance:	30 April 2025
Date Deposited:	05 Sep 2025 15:25
Last Modified:	05 Sep 2025 15:30
DOI or ID number:	10.12968/bjon.2025.0038
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/27110

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