Michelle DeVries, MPH, CIC, VA-BC, recently gave a webinar titled “Putting the Standards into Practice… and Not Stopping There!” With more than 25 years of experience, Michelle is an expert in the field of infection prevention with a focus on vascular access. Here, we’ve summarized some of the main points of her presentation. View the…
Guest Author: Jack LeDonne MD, FACS, VA-BC We are excited to welcome back Jack LeDonne, MD, FACS, VA-BC to the Eloquest Healthcare Blog! Dr. LeDonne hails from Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from Fordham University and St. George’s University, School of Medicine, in Grenada. Dr. LeDonne completed his surgical residency at the Wyckoff Heights Hospital, in…
In celebration of IV Nurses Day taking place this week on Tuesday, January 25th, we felt it timely to review our favorite 3 Questions with… vlog segments including notable thought leaders in the world of vascular access. If you’re not familiar, 3 Questions with… features some of the finest thought leaders in healthcare specialties answering…
Frequent Dressing Disruptions Vascular access dressing disruptions occur frequently during vascular access device (VAD) maintenance, leading to premature dressing changes. This issue has been examined by multiple studies. According to a study undertaken by Timsit, et al., approximately 67% of central venous catheter (CVC) dressing changes are performed before the planned date.1 This can be…
Are you struggling with maintaining intact vascular access dressings for up to 7 days as recommended by the Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice? If so, consider the use of gum mastic to enhance dressing adherence!1 In the brief video below, S. Matthew Gibson RN, CRNI, VA-BC, CPUI shows the simple application process of Mastisol® Liquid…
Maintaining Dressing Integrity to Prevent Infection Maintaining clean, dry, intact dressings over vascular access devices (VADs) is fundamental to site care. The 2021 Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice recommend that transparent dressings be changed at least every 7 days. However, if the dressing is disrupted ‐ meaning loose, wet, or soiled – the standards recommend…
Mechanical Circulatory Support to Manage Heart Failure Heart failure is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality that affects approximately 26 million patients worldwide, with rates continuing to climb.¹ Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is an intervention to manage heart failure, often serving as bridge to transplantation (BTT) by providing acceptable quality of life for patients…
Guidelines for Dressing Wear Time and Maintenance Guidelines for vascular access dressings focus on improving both wear time and dressing integrity. Maintaining intact dressings is important for preventing infection and minimizing risk of skin injury. It can also reduce unnecessary dressing changes and help wear time more closely match standard parameters. According to the 2021…
S. Matthew Gibson’s webinar “Pitfalls of Catheter Securement: The Dressing (Part 2)” explores different modalities and efficacies of catheter securement, identifies common causes of securement failure, and emphasizes the difference between stabilization and securement. Gibson also reviews the INS best practice recommendations for vascular access device and dressing securement, delving into the benefits of gum mastic…
Pivoting to Telemedicine Throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic, social distancing and reducing in‐person interactions have been essential to decrease viral spread. The healthcare industry has largely pivoted to telehealth per CDC recommendations, conducting clinical visits via virtual methods and operating in‐person facilities at restricted capacity. Doing so reduces unnecessary patient contact and exposure.¹ In order for…