Using Hand Help Device to Prevent Pressure Ulcers: Case Serries

A non-invasive device, the hand held scanner, was introduced at our hospital in 2016. The device is able to detect tissue damage below the skin, on average, 3.9 days before that damage is visible. During evaluation, we were able to decrease hospital acquired pressure injuries by 93%.  Such a high rate of success convinced us to implement the scanner in standard risk evaluation procedures on medical wards at our community hospital.

 A number of individual case studies were collected during implementation. In 8 cases the scanner made the invisible damage visible by providing a readout that alerted clinicians to implement stronger prevention measures. This change in practice resulted in prevention of Pressure Injury development in all the cases. Clinicians were able to target interventions, lower incidence, affect earlier recovery, save considerable pain and lower cost of care.

On the other hand, in 3 of the collected cases the scanner was not used due to different circumstances (e.g. nurses did not know how to use it, or did not make it a priority to use it).  In those cases, pressure injuries were developed, and needed to be treated. The fact that it happened on the same floor, with the same staff, and patient comparable characteristics, highlights the ability of early detection to help in prevention and convinced nurses of the importance to use the device in future.

The above points out at the fact, that current practice providing pressure interventions based on risk assessment alone is limited by the invisible development of PU in subcutaneous tissues. By the time the damage is visually evident, significant tissue damage has already occurred and the opportunity for prevention has been missed.