Background. Pressure ulcers represent a healthcare complication which should not be solely attributable to nursing care. They lead to patients and their families' quality of life becoming deteriorated and increased social and healthcare costs. There are few pertinent epidemiological indicators in Colombia so this study was aimed at providing a preliminary overview of the status of pressure ulcers by region in Colombia. Objective. Establishing the prevalence of pressure ulcers nationwide. Materials and methods. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of crude period prevalence regarding pressure ulcer, this being defined as a localised injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure, or pressure in combination with shear. The study involved using a survey instrument developed from the guidelines provided by the Colombian Study and Advisory Group for Pressure Ulcers and Chronic Wounds which was filled out online by nurses between September and November 2013. Results. 800 e-mails were sent to nurses in all regions of Colombia and 111 surveys (13.9%) were answered. Men suffered 68% of all pressure ulcers, 64% occurred in public institutions, 44% were detected by first level attention nurses and 65% of the information came from people affiliated to Colombia's subsidised healthcare regime. Pressure was the main cause in 98% of the cases reported in the questionnaire, followed by shear, moisture and incontinence. Ignorance regarding hyperoxygenated fatty acids and the limited use of special surfaces for managing pressure was noted and 43% of the nurses did not use a scale for measuring/estimating risk. Conclusions. These results represent the prelude to national research aimed at establishing Colombian indicators aimed at real/effective prevention strategies.