Yeah, it's just sorta hangin' there like, "'Sup. I'm a hand."

it just wants a friend to talk to, but evil heather just ignored it.

I don't know if this is related or anything, but isn't the hand seen in the same room that Maria rested in in Silent Hill 2? Just an observation

It is the same room, as far as I can tell.

Since it's on the outside, maybe it's something trying to break into the hospital.

There were way more disturbing things in SH3 than this (imo).

Wow, I never even saw that hand...how creepy.

its maria trying to scape from james' pillow

I see no deep meaning behind it if it's on the outside so I think it's just there for a WTF moment, to creep the player out. If it was on the inside I'd agree and say that it seemed like someone who tried to get out. But on the outside... I doubt there's any real reason.

It is a drain pipe stylised as a hand.

H+

is this where she recieves the phone call from leonard? same room right?

I'm guessing it's supposed to be a bizarre reference to Maria?

maybe it IS Maria

I haven't seen this yet, I'll have to keep a mental note of this and see if I can find it, I'm playing through SH3 for the first time in probably three or four years or more idk how long its really been. I'm stoked.

Well everything is supposed to have a deep meaning... so maybe it means escape is impossible or it represents the cruel violence nurses may have sufferes

its not escaping if its from the outside. not everything in the series has meaning. i feel most of the stuff we do think has meaning in any way is becouse us fans gave them meanings.( through the entire series ) so make of it what you will considering theres no game references to the hand or even mention of it in outside sources such as Lost Memories.

I've always noticed this on playthroughs... I'm not really creeped out by it but I have always thought it's a little weird.

It was definitely creepy the first time I saw it. One of those first time things that looses its freakyness the next time 'round. Too bad the rest of the body isnt attached in the cam hack pic!

I agree. Some stuff, such as this hand, is just there to freak us out and make us wonder. Nothing more. If there were any deeper meaning there would be clues, repeat occurrences of similar things, and/or a mention in outside material. Personally I think if any explain was given for such things it would ruin them, make them less scary/unsettling. The mystery and WTF-ness of such things is what makes them disturbing. For example, the smashed/bloodied locker in SH3's sewer. I think the maul is found nearby. I always wonder if there's a body in there. I want to know, but I don't want to know because knowing would make it less scary. You know, now that I think about it, I'm reminded of Schrödinger's cat. Or, in this case, Schrödinger's sewer worker (I assume it's a sewer worker in there).

Played Fatal Frame 3 recently and I saw a hand in the window of the preserve room, reminded me of this, only the fatal frame hand moves out

Don' think it serves no purpose other then "Wtf its a hand?!".Just adds to creepiness or some stimulation to the imagination.