The Importance of Skin Integrity Maintaining skin integrity is an important part of infection prevention throughout patient care. Skin is the body’s first line of defense, acting as a barrier to prevent harmful bacteria from entering the body. When this barrier is disrupted, pathogens can enter through the site of injury and cause infections.1 Skin…
The BEST Endotracheal Tube (ETT) Securement Method is RevealedEndotracheal Tube (ETT) Stabilization Endotracheal intubation is a common lifesaving procedure. ETT placement can occur in operating rooms, intensive care units (ICUs), or emergency departments. It is important to ensure ETTs are properly secured to prevent displacement.1 ETT dislodgment can lead to potentially life-threatening complications such as…
Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Associated Complications LVADs are the standard of care for patients with advanced heart failure. LVAD placement is a relatively common procedure, with more than 2,000 LVAD implants recorded each year over the past ten years in the United States alone.1 Complications that LVAD patients may experience during treatment include severe…
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…