Which skin finding is MOST consistent with a Stage 3 pressure injury?

• A. Visible subcutaneous fat, but no visible bone or tendon
• B. Visibly exposed bone or tendon that is directly palpable
• C. A shallow, open ulcer with a red wound bed without slough
• D. Purple-colored skin or the presence of a blood-filled blister

Answer: (A)

The key idea is depth of tissue loss. Stage 3 is full-thickness tissue loss with visible subcutaneous fat, meaning the skin and underlying dermis are gone enough to see fat tissue, but bone, tendon, or muscle are not exposed or directly palpable. That’s what the finding “visible subcutaneous fat, but no bone or tendon visible” describes, making it the best match for a Stage 3 injury.

Other patterns describe deeper or different injuries: exposed bone or tendon points to a Stage 4 injury, a shallow ulcer with a red wound bed indicates Stage 2, and a purple discoloration or a blood-filled blister fits deep tissue injury.