Braden Scale Calculator

The Braden Scale predicts a patient's risk of developing pressure injuries, also called pressure ulcers or bedsores. A clinician rates six subscales: sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction and shear. The scores add up to a total from 6 to 23, and a lower total means a higher risk.

Five subscales (sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, and nutrition) are each scored 1 to 4, where 1 is the most impaired and 4 is the least impaired. The friction and shear subscale is scored 1 to 3. You add the six values together, so the total ranges from 6 when every subscale is 1 to 23 when the five four-level subscales are 4 and friction and shear is 3.

The common cutoffs are 19 to 23 for no risk, 15 to 18 for mild risk, 13 to 14 for moderate risk, 10 to 12 for high risk, and 9 or below for severe risk. A total of 18 or below is generally treated as at risk, which prompts a documented prevention plan. The lower the score, the more intensive the prevention measures usually are.

In the original Braden Scale, the friction and shear subscale has only three levels: problem (1), potential problem (2), and no apparent problem (3). It has no fourth level, which is why the highest possible total is 23 rather than 24. The other five subscales each run from 1 to 4.

The scale is usually completed on admission and then at intervals set by the care setting, such as every 24 to 48 hours in acute care, and again whenever the patient's condition changes. It is designed for adults; children are assessed with a separate tool, the Braden Q Scale. Your facility's protocol sets the exact reassessment schedule.

No. This calculator is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The Braden Scale should be scored and interpreted by a qualified clinician who knows the patient, and any prevention or treatment decisions depend on the full clinical picture.