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General Session I - Lymphedema

General Session I - Lymphedema

Quickshot: The Simulator to Develope Elastic Bandage Applying Skills

Sunday, March 3, 2024
4:42 PM – 4:48 PM EST
Location: Tampa Bay Ballroom Salons 1-4
Objective:

Elastic compression is one of the most important parts of venous diseases treatment. Compression stockings can be successfully used in most cases. But in cases, when the edema is unstable and the leg circumference is noticeably changing, the use of stockings is onerously. In such cases we must use the elastic bandage.



Aims: to create and evaluate the special simulator for developing the skills of elastic bandage applying.

 

Methods:

The simulator consists of a foot dummy with 5 piezoelectric transducers. Transducers evaluate the bandage pressure. The result is visible on a special screen. We can evaluate either the pressure on the separate transducer or the pressure difference between two of them.
We evaluated the basic compression near the ankle, which must be the biggest. We also evaluated the foot pressure distribution.
At the first stage we evaluated the elastic bandage applying skills of 100 medical students. They were divided in two equal groups. In the first group we didn’t describe the rules of elastic bandage applying and the students did as they thought right. The second group students passed a detailed briefing of the elastic bandage applying and they knew what the graduated compression means.
At the second stage we combined all the students in one group, then we had a lesson of elastic bandaging, explained errors and the students passed the special training.

Results:


  • Basic compression (ankle pressure). Only 16% of the first group students achieved the right result. In 36% the pressure was higher than necessary and in 48% it was smaller. In the second group the correct result was in 46 %. In 28% it was higher and in 24% smaller than necessary. Generally 70% of students didn’t pass the task.

  • Pressure distribution. In the first group it was correct in 12% and in the second one it was correct in 28%. The most common mistake was the middle pressure near the ankle, the highest was near the knee and the smallest on the top of the leg (Table 2). Generally only 20% of students passes this task.

  • After the training the ankle pressure was correct in 44% and the pressure distribution was correct in 35% of students (Table 3).



Conclusions:

  1. Students, who didn’t receive any information about elastic bandaging are making a lot of mistakes during this procedure. It can do harm to the patient.

  2. Just the simple description improves the bandaging skills. After the special training these skills became much better.

  3. We must teach the students how to apply the elastic bandage correctly.