New OSHA Needlestick Fact Sheet Validates Adhesive Anchors

oramar · Apr 27, 2004

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--04/01/2004--Adhesive anchors for needlestick safety, such as StatLock®, are the subject of a new fact sheet issued by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Venetec International announced today.
The OSHA document, "Fact Sheet: Securing Medical Catheters," advises healthcare employers and clinicians to consider adhesive anchors for securing catheters.
The fact sheet states that adhesive anchors are potentially safer alternatives to the use of tape and suture for catheter securement.
Venetec International makes StatLock adhesive anchors and is the world's leading developer and manufacturer of adhesive anchors, which are also known as catheter securement devices.
The fact sheet discusses ways to reduce worker safety hazards related to IV therapy, and states, "Inserting a catheter exposes the healthcare worker to the risk of a needlestick."
This needlestick risk is present whether tape or suture is used for catheter securement.
Adhesive anchors may reduce that risk and may be considered by hospitals and other healthcare employers for adoption as part of OSHA-mandated needlestick safety programs, the document says.
The new fact sheet is available on OSHA's website (http://www.OSHA.gov), at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/factsheet_catheters.html.
The OSHA Fact Sheet defines an adhesive anchor as "an adhesive-backed pad with a flap or molded clamp to hold the catheter in place."

I did not know that.

lisaloulou · May 28, 2004

Unless it becomes manditory to use them, hospitals will not fork out the money to purchase them. (just like the needleless systems) regardless of the fact it will safeguard workers. sad but true.

Vsummer1 · May 28, 2004

Unless it becomes manditory to use them, hospitals will not fork out the money to purchase them. (just like the needleless systems) regardless of the fact it will safeguard workers. sad but true.

OR you will get the gung ho "I can cath anything" "are you even IV certified?!" nurse to tell you that they are correct when they use the tape to secure an IV, going so far as to discard most of the IV kits. They taught us this from the beginning, TWO YEARS AGO in school, AND the hospitals are required to use needleless systems by OSHA. But don't bother trying new techniques with old nurses. You won't get anywhere, even IF THE HOSPITAL PROVIDES and mandates their use.

Where do YOU work? And what are your policies that they don't follow OSHA or JCAHO standards?

kbear · Oct 13, 2005

Our institution has PICC lines placed in interventional radiology and secured with the statlock device. We found out that they should be replaced weekly which coincides with our dressing change policy. Problem is, they are a bear to change. It doesn't come off easily, hard to maintain sterility, feels like you're going to lose the line and is very hard to resecure. Anyone else having issues with the statlocks??? :angryfire