Okay, so I wanted to do a deep dive comparison between Braden and Montgomery, specifically looking at their scales. I’ve heard a lot about both, and it was time to really figure out the differences and when to use each one. I’m gonna walk you through what I did and what I found out.
Getting Started
First, I pulled up both scales. Just got the basic forms and laid them out in front of me. You know, sometimes just seeing them side-by-side is half the battle.
Breaking Down the Categories
Next, I went through each category in both scales. The Braden Scale, I noticed, has six subscales:
- Sensory Perception
- Moisture
- Activity
- Mobility
- Nutrition
- Friction and Shear
The Montgomery Scale, on the other hand, seemed totally different. So I focused on getting very familiar with those.
Scoring System
Then I looked at the scoring. The Braden Scale, each subscale is scored from 1 to 4 (except for Friction and Shear, which is 1 to 3), and you add them all up. Lower scores mean higher risk. Seemed simple enough.
My “Aha!” Moment
The Montgomery scale isn’t a risk scale at all. It’s for rating open wounds!
Putting It All Together
So, after all this digging and comparing, I realized something pretty obvious. The Braden scale and the Montgomery scale are for different purposes. Braden is a predictive tool for those at risk of pressure sores, while the Montgomery scale is an assessment tool for open wounds.
It was a good reminder that sometimes, you just gotta go back to the basics and really understand what you’re working with.
