These stainless steel finger traps have more uses than providing finger torture to our patients in the Emergency Department! These finger traps are used to provide traction; traction is moving a fractured, displaced, or dislocated body part to provide stability and reduce pain. The fingers are each individually placed in the wire trap and suspended. With the use of gravity providing countertraction to the fracture the doctor is able to reduce the fracture. This specific traction device is used frequently on distal radial fractures, such as the Colle’s fracture.
As a nurse you are expected to aid the doctor in the reduction by grabbing needed materials, preparing the patient for the procedure, ensuring the patient’s pain is properly controlled before, during, and after the procedure, and helping the doctor to splint post reduction. After the fracture has been reduced and splinted, the patient will follow-up with outpatient Orthopedics for continued care. Have you ever used finger traps? Comment your experience below!
*Image courtesy of Emergency Procedures & Techniques by Robert R. Simon and Barry E. Brenner
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