Archive June 2009
Novel PICC coating
Intravenous products: News-Medical.net report “A novel coating being used on a new peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) from r4 Vascular mimics the cell layer found on natural tissue surfaces. r4 Vascular designed the catheter to have a biomimetic surface that mimics the natural glycocalyx layer on endothelial tissues. Laboratory tests prove that mimicking the glycocalyx layer [...]
Needlefree injection FDA approval
Intravenous products: MedGadget.com report “The FDA issued approval for Antares Pharma’s (Ewing, New Jersey) needle-free injection device for use with Tev-Tropin brand human growth hormone (hGH) from Teva out of Petach Tikva, Israel. The device will be marketed under the name Tev-Tropin Tjet Injector system”. Teva will market the Antares needle-free device as the Tev-Tropin Tjet [...]
Lyme disease research
Intravenous literature: InfectionControlToday.com report “Lyme disease in the U.S. is caused by the tickborne bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and usually begins with a skin lesion, after which the bacteria spread throughout the body to the nervous system, heart or joints. About 60 percent of untreated individuals develop arthritis, which affects the knees in particular. Lyme disease usually [...]
Lyme disease legislation
Intravenous news: InfectionControlToday report “Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families, along with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), have introduced the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2009. The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Jack [...]
Zero central line infections
Intravenous news: Tim Royer, BSN, CRNI completed prospective surveillance at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, Washington and presented his findings as an Oral Abstract titled “Using Clear Valves and Flushing with 20ml in the Adult Population to Attain Zero Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI) Rate: A Prospective Surveillance.” The data presented consisted of [...]
Peripheral IV placement study
Intravenous products: GetTheWordOut.com report “University Hospitals Case Medical Center has been selected by Telesso Technologies Limited, a global healthcare company, as the second site to enroll patients in a head-to-head trial evaluating its FDA-approved guide wire-assisted peripheral IV catheter versus the industry’s gold standard device for peripheral IV placement. A peripheral vein is the most common [...]
IV ultrasound support on iPhone
Intravenous products: The SonoAccess™ application is your direct link to SonoSite. They have designed this medical iPhone® app to give you helpful resources such as videos that demonstrate techniques for specific scanning procedures, quick guides for reimbursement information, and more. At the tap of a finger, a portable, on-demand library of high quality clinical and system [...]
IV containers and pumps win award
Intravenous products: InfectionControlToday.com report “Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry magazine has recognized three medical devices manufactured by B. Braun Medical Inc. as being among the most influential medical devices of the last 30 years. B. Braun’s Outlook® Safety Infusion System, PINNACLE® TPN Management System and EXCEL® and PAB® IV Containers were all recognized in the magazine’s [...]
Vascular access devices & Biofilm
Intravenous conference: TargetBSI.com are presenting a webinar on why are Vascular Devices Prone to Biofilm Contamination? The session will enable clinicians to understand biofilm contamination in vascular devices. In addition, speakers will discuss the obstacles to preventing, managing and eradicating biofilms in vascular access devices. Clinical strategies will be identified to reduce the impact of biofilm. [...]
Central venous catheter care
Intravenous literature: Zingg, W., Imhof, A., Maggiorini, M., Stocker, R., Keller, E. and Ruef, C. (2009) Impact of a prevention strategy targeting hand hygiene and catheter care on the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections. Critical Care Medicine. 37(7), p.2167-73. Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To study the impact of a teaching intervention on the rate of central venous catheter-related bloodstream [...]
Inotrope infusion
Intravenous literature: de Barbieri, I., Frigo, A.C. and Zampieron, A. (2009) Quick change versus double pump while changing the infusion of inotropes: an experimental study. Nursing in Critical Care. 14(4), p.200-6. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Quick change (QC) and double pumping (DP) are common methods of substituting the infusion of inotropes given through intravenous pump. AIMS: The [...]
Paediatric IV therapy conference
Intravenous conference: Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust are hosting a conference focussed upon paediatric IV therapy and patient safety. Speakers include: Dr Sasse, Hanover Medical School. Dept, Pediatric Cardiology and intensive care Medicine, Hanover, Germany. Professor Patrick Ball, Foundation Professor of Rural Pharmacy, Charles Stuart University, Australia and international member of the BPNG. Professor Bernie Carter, Professor of Children’s [...]
Showcase hospital conference
Intravenous conference: Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust in collaboration with the HCAI Technology Innovation Programme are hosting a free Showcase Hospital One Day Conference. The conference will be held at the Novotel, Southampton, Wednesday 15th July 2009 The aim of the programme is to promote the introduction of new technologies with proven effectiveness that have the [...]
Free peripheral IV conference
Intravenous conference: NHS Education South Central (NESC) are offering a free Peripheral Cannulation Conference. The conference will take place on the 9th July 2009 at Newbury Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7NZ. Delegates will also receive free copies of the Venepuncture & Cannulation Structured Learning Programme (Vascular Access Network) & South Central SHA Guidelines for Peripheral Cannulation. This [...]
Sonosite ultrasound remote
Intravenous products: “SonoSite, Inc. the world leader and specialist in hand-carried ultrasound for point-of-care medicine, announced today that it has begun customer shipments of the SonoRemote™ Control, a compact voice or touch activated solution for adjusting ultrasound controls at a distance when using SonoSite M-Turbo® or S Series™ systems. Approximately the size of an iPhone® and [...]
Detecting intravenous infiltration
Intravenous products: Matthew Alley (CW Optics, Inc) has submitted a poster recently presented at the Infusion Nurses Society 2009 annual meeting. Abstract: Intravenous infiltration is a serious problem associated with infusion therapy. It is usually accompanied by pain, erythema, and swelling at the needle insertion site. Severe infiltration may lead to necrosis requiring skin debridement, skin grafting, [...]
Skin protection under IV dressings
Intravenous literature: ICT report “Medline Industries, Inc. today announced the results of a clinical study demonstrating that the company’s Sureprep No-sting Alcohol-Free Protective Barrier Wipe provides better security against adhesive-derived skin trauma than solvent-containing formulations. The randomized controlled study, recently published in the International Wound Journal, is the first comparison between solvent-free and solvent-containing no-sting barrier [...]
Needlestick prevention delay
Intravenous news: The Nursing Times report “NHS Employers is unlikely to recommend that the NHS implement new European guidelines on needlestick injuries until at least 2011″. “Speaking last week Karen Jennings, Unison’s head of health, called on the NHS to ‘take the initiative’ and ‘start using safer needles and adopting the new prevention guidelines across the [...]
Intravenous infusion at home
Intravenous news: IrishTimes.com report “A new pilot scheme to treat rheumatoid arthritis sufferers outside the hospital has been hailed as a success by doctors working in the field. Currently most patients who receive expensive mono-clonal antibody treatments intravenously do so in hospitals, but a number of pilot schemes in the Dublin area have found that the [...]
Peripheral IV MRSA reduction
Intravenous news: Peter Orsman et al (2009) have submitted a poster that looks at Interventions to Prevent Bloodstream
World Congress on Vascular Access
Intravenous conference: The 1st World Congress on Vascular Acces wil take place in Amsterdam in June 2010. The congress will run from the 16th to the 18th of June. The congress will be held in the RAI Amsterdam. More information on the programme and how to register will be available on the WoCova website as soon [...]
End of life hydration
Intravenous literature: Schultz, M.A.F. (2009) Helping Patients and Families Make Choices About Nutrition and Hydration at the End-of-Life. Topics in Advanced Practice Nursing eJournal. published 06/04/2009 Example of text: “Among the many end-of-life issues encountered in long-term care (LTC), one that continually resurfaces is how to manage nutrition and hydration in an individual approaching the end [...]
Pathology improvement
Intravenous news: NHS Improvement are requesting expressions of interest from potential pathology pilot sites. They are working in partnership with the Department of Health Pathology Team. The role of the Pathology Improvement Team is to: provide service improvement and redesign expertise, including Lean and Six Sigma methodology provide clinical and managerial expertise in radiology and pathology [...]
What makes a good nurse
Intravenous literature: Gallagher, A., Horton, K., Tschudin, V. and Lister, S. (2009) Exploring the views of patients with cancer on what makes a good nurse – a pilot study. Nursing Times. 105(23), early online publication. Abstract: This article presents and discusses findings from a qualitative pilot study that surveyed patients with cancer to discover their views [...]
Hand hygiene in Australia
Intravenous news: Australia’s World Health Organization infectious disease expert and Director of Hand Hygiene Australia has urged all health professionals to improve infection control and save lives by adopting the new National Hand Hygiene Initiative. The world-first Initiative is based on award-winning Australian research that shows using alcohol-based hand rub is the single-most effective way to [...]
Drug dosage calculations
Intravenous literature: Wright, K. (2009) Developing methods for solving drug dosage calculations. British Journal of Nursing. 18(11), p.685-689. Abstract: This second part of a three-part series of articles examining drug calculation skills, focuses on the different methods that can be used to solve drug calculations. It builds on Part 1 (Supporting the development of calculating skills in [...]
Needle safety legislation for UK
Intravenous news: The Nursing Times report “The European Federation of Public Service Unions and the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers Association yesterday announced an EU-wide agreement on measures to make needles safer, which are expected to become legislation by the end of the year. Karen Jennings, UNISON’s head of health, who led negotiations on behalf of [...]
Safer needles in the European Union
Intravenous news: The Nursing Times report “UK hospitals will have to introduce self-resheathing needles under European Union health and safety legislation on reducing needlestick injuries. A landmark agreement on the safer use of needles to prevent injury among hospital staff was set to be announced on 9 June at the European Public Services Unions annual congress [...]
Infusion containers and CLABSI
Intravenous literature: Franzetti, F., Borghi, B., Raimondi, F. and Rosenthal, V.D. (2009) Impact on rates and time to first central vascular-associated bloodstream infection when switching from open to closed intravenous infusion containers in a hospital setting. Epidemiology & Infection. 137(7), p.1041-8. Abstract: SUMMARY: An open-label, prospective cohort, active healthcare-associated infection surveillance sequential study was conducted in four Italian intensive-care [...]
Phenomenological view of IV care
Intravenous literature: Larsson, I., Bergman, S., Fridlund, B. and Arvidsson, B. (2009) Patients’ dependence on a nurse for the administration of their intravenous anti-TNF therapy: A phenomenographic study. Musculoskeletal Care. 7(2), p.93-105. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pain, stiffness and functional restriction of the joints are the main problems for many patients with inflammatory rheumatic conditions. When conventional drugs fail [...]
Antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease
Intravenous literature: Cameron, D.J. (2009) Insufficient evidence to deny antibiotic treatment to chronic Lyme disease patients. Medical Hypotheses. 72(6), p.688-91. Abstract: BACKGROUND: The severity, length of illness, and cost of chronic Lyme disease (CLD) have been well described. A number of oral, intravenous, and intramuscular antibiotics have been prescribed for CLD. Surprisingly few antibiotic schedules prescribed [...]
Misuse of IV fluid bags
Intravenous news: The Jamaica Gleaner reports “A nurse, who was attached to the May Pen Hospital, is facing a six-month suspension after a baby - born prematurely – died while under her care in August 2008″. They continue “At one point, the child’s body temperature began to fall. It is alleged that the nurses used a microwave [...]
Contaminated heparin syringes
Intravenous news: chicagotribune.com report on a personal account of the tragic impact of contaminated heparin syringes on one family “Natalie Fullerton’s parents were thrilled to watch their year-old daughter bounce back from a double-lung transplant. Within months, she was mimicking her sister’s ballet poses and gleefully repeating the word “purple.” Her father, Leslie, carefully tended [...]
Incidence of CRBSI
Intravenous literature: Bezzio, S. et al (2009) Prospective Incidence Study of Bloodstream Infection in Infants and
Prevention of pediatric CLABSI
Intravenous literature: Jeffries, H.E. et al (2009) Prevention of Central Venous Catheter–Associated Bloodstream Infections in Pediatric Intensive Care Units: A Performance Improvement Collaborative. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Link to full abstract. Objective.The goal of this effort was to reduce central venous catheter (CVC)–associated bloodstream infections (BSIs) in pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) patients by means [...]
Bloodstream infections – 14% HAIs
Lanini, S. et al (2009) Healthcare‐Associated Infection in Italy: Annual Point‐Prevalence Surveys, 2002–2004. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Link to full abstract. Objective.Healthcare‐associated infections (HAIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. During the period from 2002 through 2004, a group of Italian hospitals was recruited to conduct HAI point‐prevalence surveys. Results.The overall frequency [...]
Needlestick reference list
Intravenous literature: IVTEAM would like to present a ‘Needlestick Reference List‘. The list consists of references of
Central line contamination
Intravenous news: Keyetv.com report “A Manor woman is accused of putting fecal matter into her 3-year-old daughter’s IV line. Emily McDonald, 23, is charged with a single count of injury to a child”. “According to the affidavit, video surveillance was set up in the girl’s room and McDonald was allegedly caught on camera taking fecal matter from [...]
Surveillance of infections
Intravenous literature: Surveillance of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) is the cornerstone of an effective infection prevention program. By definition, surveillance is a comprehensive method of measuring outcomes and related processes of care, analyzing the data, and providing information to members of the healthcare team to assist in improving those outcomes and processes. Click here for the full position statement [...]
Leaking IV (intravenous) bags
Intravenous news: The Timesonline report “A nurse is being questioned by detectives investigating the suspected sabotage of intravenous drip bags used on a children’s ward. The 21-year-old woman from Wickford, Essex, was arrested this morning on suspicion of criminal damage and an offence under the public order act – contamination of goods. A batch of more than 30 [...]
Injection video
Intravenous training: Free Injection and IV placement videos from the Medical College of Georgia on iTunes. NOTE: Particular procedural activities in these videos may be different to that of your organization and may require further consideration before the video is used for teaching. Free videos available include: Venipuncture Intravenous Placement Subcutaneous Injection Injectable Medication Preparation Intramuscular Click here [...]
Intravenous (IV) drip rate calculator
Intravenous products: Drug Infusion: An IV Med Drip Rate Calculator App by iAnesthesia LLC on for the iPhone iTunes. Drug infusion was designed specifically for the ICU nurse or anesthesia provider as a quick reference to ensure accurate calculations for dose, concentration or IV rate. Designed by anesthesiologists, this IV Med Drip Rate Calculator is quick and easy to [...]
