Investigating device-related "burns"

In this article, we discuss a procedure for investigating skin injuries sustained by patients in the operating room and special care areas of the hospital. Skin injuries are often mistaken for burns, and medical devices are immediately blamed as the cause; however, such a hasty conclusion can overlook the actual cause of the injury and delay the implementation of measures to prevent future occurrences. We describe a thorough investigation process for uncovering the real cause of the injury and include a questionnaire to facilitate the investigation. We also list potential causes of accidental skin injuries and present two investigation case studies.