With the dramatic increase in chronic disease, trauma, and an increasing aging population, nurses are challenged to provide pressure ulcer care and prevention. Immobility, advanced age, incontinence, prolonged pressure or friction, inadequate nutrition, dehydration, anemia, hypoxemia, multiple comorbidities, sensory impairment, thin skin, prominent bony protuberances, circulatory abnormalities, pain, and smoking are important risk factors. Barriers to implementing preventive measures are staff shortages, shortages of pressure-relieving devices (e.g., foam or air mattresses), excessive workload, and uncooperative patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has classified pressure ulcers as preventable hospital-acquired conditions and has stopped reimbursement for such hospital-acquired conditions. In the United States, the cost of caring for a single patient for a pressure ulcer includes skin cleanser, moisturizer, dressings, wound removal, antibiotics, analgesics, sheet and support surfaces, nursing time for risk assessment, monitoring, and repositioning. It is the second most frequent accident after manslaughter and greater than falls or emotional distress. Regardless of the cause of pressure ulcers, the presence or absence of pressure ulcers is generally considered a performance measure of quality of nursing care and overall patient health. Pressure ulcers can be avoided by applying simple interventions such as factor rating scales and turning the patient regularly. Proper hydration, a balanced diet, activity, wound care, and keeping the patient's skin and body dry are treatment and prevention measures for this problem. A thorough physical assessment, risk assessment (using a risk assessment tool such as the Barden Scale), repositioning, patient and caregiver education, effective communication, and