Pressure Injury Staging — NCLEX Cheat Sheet
Stage 1 → 4 · unstageable · DTI
👤 By the CinnaRN Clinical Content Team
🕐 Updated 2026-07-11
🏷️ Basic Care & Comfort
🔖 Free to read, print, and share
Depth increases 1→4. Eschar-covered = unstageable; intact purple = deep-tissue injury. Prevention: turn q2h.
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Use this quick-reference guide to spot, treat, and prevent Pressure Injury Staging on the NCLEX. Keep it handy during review and on exam day!
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- 1 — Non-blanchable redness, intact skin
- 2 — Partial thickness, shallow open/blister
- 3 — Full thickness, fat visible
- 4 — Bone/tendon/muscle exposed
- Unstageable — base covered by eschar/slough
- DTI — intact purple/maroon
- Turn q2h, offload heels
- Never massage red bony areas
✨Quick Tip
1 — Non-blanchable redness, intact skin.
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