Defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis "high risk for impaired skin integrity".

Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to examine factors which may predict skin breakdown in the hospitalized adult patient. One-hundred fourteen (114) subjects were selected for the study, 60 who developed skin breakdown and 54 who did not. Results suggested that the factors which predict skin breakdown in the hospitalized patient are: age greater than 65 years, decreased level of consciousness, low activity level, low-grade fever, presence of infection, incontinence, poor nutritional intake, and an altered metabolic state.