Disclosed is a device (1, 30, 32, 38, 47, 55) for applying electrical pulses to pre-defined bodily tissue, which device can be placed on bodily surfaces of organisms. The device (1, 30, 32, 38, 47, 55) comprises at least one penetration device (9, 27, 33, 39, 48), which has at least one electrode (16, 31, 36, 42) and which is provided in order to penetrate into the organism after the device (1, 30, 32, 38, 47, 55) has been placed onto the bodily surface of an organism (22) and to assume an end position in which the electrode (16, 31, 36, 42) is in contact with the bodily tissue (25) of the organism (22), at least one position detection device (13), which is provided in order to detect a position of at least one part of the device (1, 30, 32, 38, 47, 55) lying against the bodily surface in relation to at least one part of the bodily tissue (25); and to subsequently check whether the detected position is suitable for transferring the penetration device (9, 27, 33, 39, 48) into the end position, and at least one signal output means (8) for emitting signals, the device (1, 30, 32, 38, 47, 55) being provided to emit at least one signal on the basis of a result of checking the detected position.