Use of digital images in the assessment and treatment of pressure ulcers in patients with spinal injuries in community settings.
We conducted a retrospective review of the digital images in the clinical records of 50 patients with pressure ulcers. Ten nurses independently assessed one image from each patient. There was a total of 414 responses from the nurses about the stage and location of the ulcers (83% response rate). The average agreement about the stage and location of the ulcers was 85%. The overall agreement declined as the stage of the ulcer increased. The average agreement regarding the wound descriptors was: necrosis 85%, granulation tissue 81%, ischaemia 83%, cellulitis /infection 69%, erythema 68%. Almost all nurses felt the need to change the current management of the wound (460 responses, or 92%). The nurses judged that most digital images were of good quality (17%) or very good quality (79%). The present study suggests that a high percentage of assessments for patients currently travelling to specialist clinics could be performed in the community using digital images and telemedicine.
Sarhan
Firas
F
Research Centre for Society and Health, Buckinghamshire New University, 106 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, UK. Firas.sarhan@btinternet.com
Weatherburn
Gwyn
G
Graham
Allison
A
Thiyagarajan
Chinnaya
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010781:Photography / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications; D014945:Wound Healing