RE: skin tears/skin ulcers

[Nathan Lake]

Title: Message

Sudden, traumatic injury is never a pressure ulcer. Pressure ulcers are the result of long periods (hours or days) of continuous pressure that results in tissue damage or death. A skin tear is the result of a shear force that inflicts traumatic. injury.   The location is not diagnostic either, although it can be suggestive since pressure ulcers more often occur over bony prominances where tissue is compressed between the bone and some exterior object.   Nathan -----Original Message----- From: Laurie L Swanke [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 10:14 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: skin tears/skin ulcers Can anyone expound on when to code a skin tear in M1 and when it should be coded only in M4?  If a resident receives a skin tear from a wheel chair pedal is that considered pressure?  What if a staff member transfers the resident and a skin tear is noted after the transfer--is that considered pressure?  If a resident has a skin tear upon awakening and the bed rail may have been the cause is that pressure?  I guess I do not get it.  The August update states... Skin tears/shears are coded in Item M4 unless pressure was a contributing factor. Thanks for your responses.