A Descriptive Study to Measure the Reliability of Braden Scale Score Calculated by Clinical Nurses and Evaluate Its Predictive Value for Pressure Ulcer Risk among ICU Patients

Abstract

The research study was done to measure the Reliability of Braden Scale Score Calculated by Clinical Nurses and evaluate its Predictive Value for PU Risk among ICU Patients. A descriptive research study design was adopted. The study was conducted at the ICUs of DY Patil Hospital, Navi Mumbai. Non probability purposive sampling technique was used. In this study samples were ICU patients (N=75) and clinical staff (N=36). The data was collected using observation and interview techniques. The data was tabulated and analyzed in terms of the study objectives. The data collection was done from ICU Patients and clinical staff. The study result shows the overall Interrater reliability conveyed by intra class correlation coefficient was 0.865 with 95% confidence interval (0.787, 0.915). Interrater reliability expressed by intra class correlation coefficient for individual item ranged from 0.013 that is 13.00% with 95% confidence interval (-0.090, 0.140) to 0.643 with 95% confidence interval (0.176, 0.821) with the lowest value being measure from ‘sensory perception’ and ‘moisture.’  Although the calculated Interrater reliability coefficients for total Braden score were moderate or high in some cases several clinical differences occurred between the two groups. Due to Interrater, reliability being very low in some cases like “sensory perception” and “moisture” it is doubtful that their assessments contribute to any valid results. The calculation of intra class correlation coefficients is the most appropriate Interrater reliability estimates.