Skin assessment in dark pigmented skin: a challenge in pressure ulcer prevention.

Skin assessment is a vital element in the prevention of pressure ulcers, and many recommendations for skin assessment depend on visual and tactile cues to identify changes in skin appearance. These visual cues that indicate changes in skin appearance maybe easily observed in Caucasian skin but, with darker pigmentation, it maybe harder to spot visual signs of early changes caused by pressure damage. This article outlines how nurses can address this problem in clinical practice and the technological developments that may help to solve this clinical issue.