Archive April 2008
AVA 22nd annual conference
The Association of Vascular Access are accepting abstracts for podium and poster presentations for their 22nd Annual Conference, September 11-14, 2008 in Savannah, GA. Presentations must fit one of the following categories and bear a direct relevance to the field of vascular access – a) Clinical Research, b) Innovations in Education or Practice, c) Health [...]
Infection benchmarking tool
We first reported news about the MedMined system from Cardinal Health in February 2008 (Click here for original post). We can now report that 46 Alabama hospitals are using the tool to benchmark their infection rates with their state peers. Cardinal Health report “The MedMined benchmarking tool, produced by Cardinal Health, graphs the incidence of health [...]
Superbug iceberg
Edwina Rawson, an associate at Charles Russell Solicitors, writes in the AvMA Medical & Legal Journal about the tip of the superbug iceberg. “Thousands of patients die or are made seriously ill by healthcare infections, popularly known as ‘superbugs’. This is a fact. It is also a fact that a proportion of these could have been avoided [...]
Drug calculations
Paul Lee, a medical devices training manager at Singleton Hospital, Swansea, UK has published an article that describes a risk-score system for mathematical calculations in intravenous therapy. “This article outlines a training needs analysis to identify the mathematical confidence levels of qualified staff working in a large, acute NHS trust. A risk scoring tool was [...]
Hydration at end of life
Pamela van der Riet, Philip Good, Isabel Higgins and Ludmilla Sneesby have published an article examining palliative care professionals’ perceptions of nutrition and hydration at the end of life. “The provision of medically administered nutrition and hydration (MNH) for the terminally ill patient is a controversial issue and there has been much debate in the literature concerning [...]
Syringe drivers in palliative care
John Costello, Brian Nyatanga, Carole Mula and Jenny Hull have written about the benefits and drawbacks of syringe drivers in palliative care. “This article will outline the use of continuous subcutaneous infusion pumps, known as syringe drivers, including their benefits and drawbacks in a palliative care context. There have been over 5000 articles published globally describing syringe drivers [...]
COSMOS study launched
The Hospital San Carlos, Madrid, Spain has started to recruit patients into a randomized study of closed peripheral intravenous systems versus open systems. The research team have named it the COSMOS Study (great name… lets hope the results are out of this world). The purpose of this study is to investigate, in a prospective and randomized fashion, the [...]
Community IV article
Sue O’Hanlon, Ruth Glenn and Belinda Hazler write in the Nursing Standard (2008) about delivering intravenous therapy in the community setting… “This article provides an overview of how an intravenous (IV) therapy service was developed in one primary care trust in England, the challenges that were faced and how they were overcome. The article includes some [...]
Apheresis article
Sandra Leighton writes about apheresis in the April (2008) edition of Nursing… “During apheresis, a blood component (red cells, white cells, platelets, or plasma) is removed from blood using a cell separator; the remaining blood components are then returned to the donor or patient. Many types of apheresis are available to treat various conditions, from initiating the process [...]
EPIC2 & Saving Lives Study Day
Epic2 & Saving Lives Implementation Study Day London 2nd June Bristol 3rd June Birmingham 4th June Manchester 5th June A free study day aimed at helping your Trust implement national guidelines in preventing infections and to help save even more patients’ lives. This national programme in June has been jointly developed by the Infection Prevention [...]
IV Nurse Specialist
Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Foundation Trust are advertising for ‘Clinical Nurse Specialist in Intravenous Therapy’. The advert states… “Tasked with the reduction of infections caused by vascular access devices (VAD) you’ll be involved in developing, implementing and monitoring standards of clinical practice in intravenous therapy”. Further information can be obtained from Zena Ludick, Head of [...]
Amiodarone and DEHP
The team at Cardinal Health have just informed us that users of Amiodarone should consider administering Amiodarone through a specific aministration set. As Amiodarone may cause the plasticizers to leach into the fluid path. Medicines.org.uk state that “The use of administration equipment or devices containing plasticizers such as DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyphthalate) in the presence of amiodarone may result [...]
Heparin concerns grow in China
The Los Angeles Times has reported that the FDA has asked Chinese manufacturers of products that may contain heparin to test their supplies. This action follows reports of two serious allergic reactions following the use of devices that contain heparin. The FDA will write to 82 medical device manufacturers urging them to test their heparin. This recent episode follows [...]
Cannulation in Africa
Dr Ngatia writes about task-shifting of health workers on the African continent. He describes how midwives have inserted cannula in the past even though it is illegal for them to do so. However, in Mozambique and Malawi midwives are now trained to set up intravenous drips. Click here to read the full story.
Intraosseous in Dubai
The Khaleej Times reports that paramedics in Dubai are to begin a trial of the intraosseous (IO) route for intravenous access in four mobile intensive care units. The IO route allows for emergency vascular drug administration when venous access is unobtainable e.g. severe burns. The paramedics will use the EZ-IO ‘intraosseous’ power driver from Vidacare. Click here for the full story.
Journal of Infusion Nursing
The March/April 2008 issue of the Journal of Infusion Nursing has just been published. Examples of the content includes: Carney P.H. & Ollom C.L. (2008) Infusion reactions triggered by Monoclonal antibodies treating solid tumors. Journal of Infusion Nursing. 31(2), p.74-83. Leone M. (2008) Catheter outcomes in home infusion. Journal of Infusion Nursing. 31(2), p.84-91. Markovich M.B. [...]
Body image
I have always been interested in the impact of IV therapy on body image. Yes I know, I should be concerned about infection etc (well I am)… however, the impact of body image on patients may help to address any number of problems… including those catheter related blood stream infections (CRBSI). I think you will agree that [...]
3M launch chlorhexidine IV dressing
3M have developed a range of IV dressings that incorporate chlorhexidine gluconate. Click here for further information
CRBSI systematic review
Ramritu et al (2008) publish a systematic review and meta-analysis of catheter related blood stream infections in intensive care units. The full reference is… Ramritu P., Halton K., Cook D., Whitby M. & Graves N. (2008) Catheter-related bloodstream infections in intensive care units: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62 (1) , 3–21.
IV contributes to infection
An inquest in Belfast took four hours to find that 43 year old Brendan McDowell died of multiple organ failure brought on by a ’hospital acquired infection’. This included an infection at his intravenous line which was being used to administer antibiotics. Click here to view the full story.
3M acquire Les Entreprises Solumed
3M Canada have acquired Les Entreprises Solumed. 3M medical division vice president Chuck Kummeth stated… “The addition of Solumed positions 3M for growth in the fast-growing segment of intravenous site care and in preoperative care and hand hygiene, where CHG-based products are gaining momentum”. More information.
New extravasation guidelines
The European Oncology Nursing Society have just issued new chemotherapy extravasation guidelines. The guidance is comprehensive and includes risk factors, explains recognition and includes examples of documentation… plus much more. Click here to view the full document.
