What is the difference between stage 1 and stage 2 pressure injuries?

• A. Stage 1 involves non-blanchable redness of intact skin; Stage 2 is full-thickness skin loss.
• B. Stage 1: full-thickness skin loss; Stage 2: deeper tissue damage.
• C. Stage 1: partial-thickness skin loss with exposed dermis.
• D. Stage 1: non-blanchable redness of intact skin; Stage 2: partial-thickness skin loss with exposed dermis.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how deep the wound goes and whether the skin is still intact. In the first stage, the skin surface remains intact but shows non-blanchable redness—pressing on it does not turn it pale, which means there’s inflammation without an open wound. In the second stage, there is partial-thickness skin loss with exposed dermis, so the skin is broken and you can see a pink or red, moist wound bed. This exposed dermis is what distinguishes stage 2 from stage 1. Remember, deeper damage would be a later stage, not stage 2.