Procedures
PRESSURE ULCER, PRESSURE ULCERS
All participants consented to have a photographic record of all areas defined in the study at the baseline and for the pressure ulcer site in case it developed. A photographic manual was developed to standardize the method of taking the photographs (metric, angle, distance, light, background, and the number of photographs) (Table Nurses of each ward evaluated the skin's integrity based on direct observation of the skin or through the HCD transparency, and observations were registered on each patient's chart. Two research nurses, one from each hospital, were trained to follow the state of the skin up of patients included in the studies. These nurses monitored the electronic medical records daily to identify new pressure ulcers (PU) reported by the nurses of each ward.The following of the patients finished if one of these conditions was present (the first to happen: (1) the patient began to walk, or (2) was transferred or discharged to another, (3) died, or (4) developed the first pressure ulcer (First PU since the admission into the trial). Once a PU was identified and classified by the trained nurses in any group, the skin-care group of each hospital assumed the wound care. All patients were followed until discharge to include essential information related to variables and costs. The financial office provided invoices for each patient for each institution.