The purpose of pressure ulcer risk assessment and grading tools are to help assess a patient’s potential risk of pressure ulcer development and to determine the extent of pressure damage, resepectively. Despite their longevity there is a paucity of research available to endorse risk assessment and grading tools, resulting in a lack of consensus of opinion among experts and practitioners alike. So are risk assessment and classification/grading tools really useful or are they mere ‘paperwork exercises’ that limit the practitioner’s time for patient care?