Final answer:
Intact skin with non-blanchable redness should be documented as a Stage I pressure ulcer, which is the earliest stage of skin pressure injury over a bony prominence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct stage to document for an area with intact skin with non-blanchable redness would be Stage I pressure ulcer. In the context of pressure ulcers, Stage I is defined as intact skin with non-blanchable redness of a localized area usually over a bony prominence. It is important to describe this as non-blanchable, which means that when you press on it, the redness does not turn white. This is different from a deep tissue injury, which might present as a purple or maroon localized area of discolored intact skin or blood-filled blister due to damage of underlying soft tissue from pressure and/or shear. Stage III and Stage II ulcers show more advanced injury with skin loss or blistering.
The nurse would write Stage II in her documentation.
Stage II refers to a partial-thickness skin loss involving the epidermis and/or the dermis. It is characterized by a shallow open ulcer with a red/pink wound bed, without slough or bruising. The area of intact skin with non-blanchable redness fits the description of Stage II.
For example, if a patient has a pressure ulcer that presents with intact skin, but shows signs of non-blanchable redness, it would be classified as a Stage II pressure ulcer.