Improved clinical outcomes in pressure ulcer prevention using the SEM scanner

Area of Science:

• Biomedical engineering
• Clinical nursing research
• Patient safety innovation

Background:

• Pressure ulcers (PUs) represent a significant challenge in healthcare settings.
• Early detection of sub-epidermal tissue damage is crucial for effective prevention.
• Current risk assessment strategies may not identify all incipient injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in-practice utility of a sub-epidermal moisture (SEM) scanner.
• To assess the SEM scanner's ability to detect non-visible pressure damage.
• To determine if SEM scanning facilitates targeted pressure ulcer prevention interventions.

Main Methods:

• An in-practice evaluation was conducted on a medical-surgical ward.
• The study involved 35 patients over a two-month period.
• The SEM scanner was used to identify sub-epidermal moisture changes.

Main Results:

• The SEM scanner provided objective evidence of incipient skin damage.
• Interventions, including increased repositioning and assessment, were informed by scanner data.
• These targeted strategies prevented further incipient skin damage in the evaluated patient cohort.

Conclusions:

• Early detection of non-visible tissue injury using SEM scanning is feasible.
• SEM scanning can serve as an adjunct to traditional PU risk assessment.
• Implementing SEM scanning can reduce PU incidence, enhance patient outcomes, and improve healthcare productivity.