This is a clinical tool you can use to assess risk of a patient/client developing a pressure ulcer. Use this together with your clinical judgement.

The primary aim of this tool is to assist you to assess risk of aptient/client developing a pressure ulcer. Use this together with your clinical judgement.
The Waterlow consists of seven items: build/weight, height, visual assessment of the skin, sex/age, continence, mobility, and appetite, and special risk factors, divided into tissue malnutrition, neurological deficit, major surgery/trauma, and medication.

The tool identifies three 'at risk' categories, 

1.  a score of 10-14 indicates 'at risk'
2.  a score of 15-19 indicates 'high risk',
3.  a score of 20 and above indicates very high risk.

Judy Waterlow

17/03/2009