Risk of pressure injury among users of emergency care units

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk of pressure injury in patients of emergency care units. METHOD: Descriptive, cross-sectional, and quantitative by applying the Braden scale to 377 patients from eight units in Paraná, between April and September 2016. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation were used, with a significance of 0.1% for analysis. RESULTS: There was a prevalence of risk-free patients (64.5%; n=243) and of older adults (54.6%; n=206); those at high risk for pressure injury were in the emergency department. Most of the variables were preserved, with emphasis on sensory perception (65.3%; n=246). The Spearman's correlation coefficient was at least 0.93 and indicated a strong linear relation between the results obtained in the variables and in the scale; it was verified that the risk for pressure injury increases with age. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the patients were not at risk; however, the older adults and those treated in the emergency department were at high risk of developing pressure injuries.