Calculates risk of pressure ulcers (bedsores) using the Norton risk assessment scale.
For health professionals only.
The Norton Scale is a screening tool. Always combine results with skin assessment,
comorbidities, and local protocols.
Norton Scale items
Select the option that best describes the patient. Each item is scored 1–4.
Lower scores = higher risk.
1. Physical condition
Overall medical condition, nutritional status, tissue integrity, and skin condition.
2. Mental condition
Level of consciousness and orientation.
3. Activity
Degree to which the patient is ambulant.
4. Mobility
Ability to change and control body position.
5. Incontinence
Degree of urine and/or fecal incontinence.
Results
Total Norton score (5–20): 0
Risk category:
Low risk
Score in the low-risk range. Continue routine pressure ulcer prevention
and reassess according to local policy.
Example bands (may vary by institution): ≤9 very high risk, 10–13 high risk,
14–17 medium risk, ≥19 low risk. Many guidelines treat scores ≤14 as “at risk”.
Always follow local thresholds and prevention bundles.
The Norton Scale is one of the earliest standardized tools for assessing a patient’s risk of developing pressure ulcers (bedsores). Developed by Doreen Norton in the UK in the early 1960s, it is still used in some hospitals, long-term care, and community settings. NCBI+1
The scale evaluates five key domains that influence pressure ulcer development:
Physical condition (overall health and nutritional/skin status)
Mental condition (level of consciousness and orientation)
Each domain is scored from 1 to 4, with 4 indicating best status and 1 indicating worst status (e.g. “Good” physical condition = 4 points, “Very bad” = 1 point). The points from all five domains are summed to produce a total Norton score between 5 and 20, where lower scores mean higher risk. MSD Manuals+2SCIRE Professional+2
Some references simply consider ≤ 14 as “at risk”, with higher scores suggesting lower risk. MSD Manuals+1 Whatever banding system is used, the Norton Scale is a screening aid; it must be combined with clinical judgment, skin inspection, and local protocols (e.g. repositioning schedules, support surfaces, continence and nutrition management). NCBI+1
