Patient Wellbeing

Stays in hospital, in particular, can put many patients and relatives under enormous mental and physical strain. Non-invasive methods avoid pain, as no medical instrument must be inserted into the body. In addition, they also reduce the risk of hospital borne infections ⁴. The patient is treated using gentle procedures, which relieve him/her physically and mentally. In the area of non-invasive ventilation, the quality of life of patients is also increased. This is because they can proceed through various phases without masks and - if somewhat restricted - are able to exchange information with doctors, attendants and visitors regarding their condition and, where possible, to partake in the treatment themselves⁸.

In contrast to invasive ventilation, the patient need not be sedated ⁷. He/she can be treated without pain relief and is fully conscious. Inserting a tube into airways can cause infections and internal injuries. As this is not the case when using non-invasive ventilation methods, the risk of hospital-acquired infection is reduced⁴. This has a positive effect on the healing process and reduces the length of stays in hospital⁵. A fast reaction to the need for support during the weaning process increases patient comfort, as the device supports the patient's attempts to breathe freely and independently.

As well as reducing the length of stays in hospital, non-invasive procedures can also reduce treatment times. For example, a non-invasive device for continuous, arterial blood pressure measurement can be used more quickly and simply than an invasive device¹². It is particularly advantageous in emergency medicine for nursing staff to be able to use continuous, non-invasive blood pressure monitoring. This allows a faster diagnosis and thus results in a more rapid introduction of suitable measures so the patient can recover more quickly.

The subject of patient well-being is particularly important on paediatric wards. The use of non-invasive screening devices, such as for measuring the bilirubin value (TcB), offers a gentle, pain-free alternative to the original jaundice testing procedure here. It is not necessary to remove any blood, which is a process that represents a considerable stress factor for sensitive infants and their parents. In addition, the nursing staff has direct access to the desired information and can, therefore, save worried parents anxious waiting time for laboratory results.