A podium poster presentation at the 2024 Association of Vascular Access Annual Scientific Meeting described noteworthy time savings for the Vascular Access Team (VAT) at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

The authors, Zachary Lassiter, BSN, RN, Marisa Brown, BSN, RN, and Charles Swan, BSN, RN, CRNI designed a quality improvement project that used VAT team data to track early central line dressing changes on two units before and after the addition of Mastisol to the central line dressing protocol in a 321-bed Magnet-affiliated hospital.

Prior to the intervention, the hospital’s central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rate was below the national benchmark. The VAT team employed an evidence-based protocol for central line dressing changes which included weekly, 2-person central line dressing changes.

3 key data points:

• Prior to the intervention, 20 of 84 (24%) of the central line catheters required an early dressing change (i.e., prior to 7 days). Following the intervention, 6 (9%) of central line catheters required an early dressing change.
• This is a 58.3% decrease in performance of early central line dressing changes due to non-intact (disrupted) dressings.
• The reduction in disrupted dressings yielded time savings of more than 6 hours of VAT time per month!

This work was recognized as one of a select group of posters invited for a podium presentation session at AVA 2024 and adds to the evidence supporting the use of Mastisol to protect patients from risk factors for CLABSI infections while also saving considerable staff time.

Effective central venous catheter dressing management is crucial for preventing life-threatening and costly complications such as CLABSI. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates costs for CLABSI total more than $1 billion per year.¹

The presence of non-adherent dressings and multiple, early dressing changes—also known as “dressing disruptions”— are a common, mutable risk factor for CLABSI.²

These new results show that even with a strong, evidence-based protocol in place, a small change such as the addition of Mastisol to the dressing change protocol can yield substantial time savings for nurses.

To learn more, download a handout of this AVA 2024 poster.

Eloquest Healthcare is committed to providing solutions that can help improve dressing integrity and durability while saving time and reducing unnecessary costs. For more information about Mastisol please complete this form.

Eloquest Healthcare, Inc. can partner with your institution to facilitate a Vascular Access Device Site Assessment to determine the state of vascular access device site care. See firsthand how Mastisol can contribute to safer, more efficient care for your patients! Request a Vascular Access Device Site Assessment today!