Pressure Ulcers Stages
This is a helpful animation of the common locations and stages of pressure ulcers.
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) Pressure Ulcer Stages
The link above will direct you to the the National Pressure Ulcer Advisor Panel website (NPUAP). The NPUAP is an excellent source to access to learn more about pressure ulcers and their staging. They are a non-for-profit organization addressing the prevention and care of pressure ulcers.
Click to enlarge the picture on the right of the NPUAP Pressure Ulcer Staging System (with physical pictures of the 4 stages)
Please click here for the NPUAP's International Pressure Ulcer Classification System 2009 (Appendix 3 from Houghton & Campbell, 2013) that further describes the following:
- Stage 1 Non-blanchable erythema
- Stage 2 Partial-thickness skin loss
- Stage 3 Full-thickness skin loss
- Stage 4 Full thickness tissue loss
- Unstageable or unclassified
- Suspected deep tissue injury