Cutaneous Anomalies of the Critically Ill Patient.

Critically ill patients are at high risk for organ failure, including that of the integumentary system. Nurses working in intensive care are adept at performing comprehensive assessments that include the skin. Although pressure injury is a well-known complication associated with critical illness, patients may also have debilitating and life-threatening dermatoses.

Practice Dilemmas: Conditions That Mimic Pressure Ulcers/Injuries- To Be or Not To Be?

Background: Pressure ulcers/injuries (PU/Is) negatively affect patients by causing pain and increasing morbidity and mortality risks. Care teams have a heightened sense of awareness of the condition and may feel confident in their ability to appropriately identify and manage PU/Is, but the potential for, and consequences of, a misdiagnosis always should be considered.

Purpose: The purpose of this compendium is to describe and illustrate conditions that may mimic PU/Is.