ObjectiveTo understand the application of the Braden pressure ulcer risk-factor assessment scale in the nursing staff, in order to provide reference for clinical nurses to standardize the use of Braden assessment scale and facilitate the hospital to develop training programs on pressure ulcer related knowledge. MethodsStratified cluster sampling method was applied in February 2015. Using the self-designed questionnaire of “Application of Braden pressure ulcer risk-factor assessment scale in the nursing staff ”, we conducted a survey on 198 clinical nurses, and the survey results were scrutinized. The difficulty level of using Braden assessment scale in the nurses was analyzed based on their different demographic characteristics. We also analyzed the items which were most difficult to judge for the nurses and nurses’ learning needs for knowledge on Braden assessment scale. ResultsA total of 168 (84.85%) nurses found it difficult in using Braden scale for the evaluation of pressure ulcer. The most difficult items to judge for the nurses were friction force, shear force and feeling. Nurses in departments with pressure ulcer as a common symptom of the patients could better use the Braden pressure ulcer risk-factor scale, compared with those in departments where pressure ulcer was uncommon (P＜ 0.05) . A total of 189 (95.46%) nurses thought it necessary to carry out a unified quantitative standard analysis of six risk factors in the Braden scale. Conclusions The poor mastery of the assessment standards for Braden scale in the nurses causes various degrees of difficulty in applying the scale, which can influence the accuracy of assessment. It is important to train the nurses on pressure ulcer risk factor assessment in order to raise the clinical assessment accuracy.