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Cornell Ulcer Risk Score (CURS)

Purpose: To evaluate a patient's risk for developing a decubitus ulcer using the Cornell Ulcer Risk Score (CURS).

Description

The Cornell Ulcer Risk Score (CURS) can help identify a patient at risk for developing a pressure (decubitus) ulcer. This can both identify a patient at greater need for intervention and indicate areas to target. The score was developed at the New York Weill Cornell Center.


Parameters:

(1) activity

(2) mobility

(3) incontinence

(4) nutrition

(5) level of consciousness

 

NOTE: This appears related to the Gosnell scale.

 

Parameter

Finding

Points

activity

ambulates without assistance

0

 

ambulates with assistance

1

 

out of bed to chair

2

 

complete bedrest

3

mobility

full active range of motion

0

 

partial active range of motion

1

 

passive range of motion

2

 

immobile

3

incontinence

none

0

 

1 to 2 times in 24 hours

1

 

3 to 5 times in 24 hours

2

 

>= 6 times in 24 hours

3

nutrition

achieves 75-100% of nutritional and caloric goals

0

 

achieves 50-74% of nutritional and caloric goals

1

 

achieves 25-49% of nutritional and caloric goals

2

 

achieves < 25% of nutritional and caloric goals

3

level of consciousness

alert

0

 

confused

1

 

sedated or somnolent

2

 

unresponsive to any stimuli

3

 

where:

• The ranges for nutrition in the original table has overlaps at 50 and 75%. I adjusted the values above to remove the overlap.

 

score =

= SUM(points for all 5 parameters)

 

Interpretation:

• minimum score: 0

• maximum score: 15

• The higher the score, the greater the risk for developing a decubitus ulcer.

 

Performance:

• The score has been validated at Cornell but has not had a multi-institutional evaluation.


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Specialty

Objective

ICD-10