PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDING OF PEDIATRIC DRESSINGS: PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN A DIGITAL FACILITATION RESOURCE USING QUICK RESPONSE CODE (QR CODE) IN CLINICAL PRACTICE
Health Technology, Wounds, Diagnostic Imaging, Electronic Health Records
Introduction: Wound care in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) requires careful assessment, accurate documentation, and evidence-based decision-making due to patients’ clinical complexity and vulnerability. In this context, digital technologies—such as photographic records and computerized systems—emerge as strategic tools to enhance nursing care, facilitate monitoring of lesion progression, and support clinical practice. Objective: To develop and implement an in-service training program aimed at raising health professionals’ awareness regarding image recording and wound dressing evolution documentation. Additionally, to create a Quick Response Code (QR code) as a tool to facilitate image registration and monitoring of wound progression. Method: This is an intervention study with a mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) approach, focused on developing a technological product designed to facilitate the recording, storage, and consultation of images and wound progression in pediatric patients admitted to a PICU. The study will be conducted in four stages: (1) situational diagnosis through a semi-structured questionnaire; (2) literature review for content mapping; (3) training offered to PICU health professionals; and (4) pilot application of the QR code tool. The intervention is scheduled for the first semester of 2026, following approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). Data will be analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods. The intervention will be continuously developed in the care setting, considering the inseparability between research and intervention. Expected Results: The implementation of digital technologies is expected to standardize clinical records, improve communication among healthcare teams, and optimize monitoring of lesion progression in critically ill pediatric patients. The tool is anticipated to have significant implications for Health Education by enhancing pediatric healthcare professionals’ performance, strengthening the institutional safety culture, and constituting an innovative educational resource aligned with the National Policy of Permanent Health Education and Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3). Furthermore, the study seeks to overcome system integration limitations, promote professional training, and reduce fragmented use of digital tools.