Need your professional opinion....

fergus51 · Aug 24, 2002

We don't require opsite and I almost never have any problems with infection, but our IVs are usually in for less than 2 days on most patients. I tend to agree with the administrator.

midwestRN · Aug 24, 2002

We have no policy, but I love the transparent op-sites. Some of the nurses use 2X2 and tape or just tape, but all are covered with something.

pebbles, BSN, RN · Aug 24, 2002

2 x 2 and tape or a bandaid, depends on teh site, how clean it looks and if it is bleeding. As long as it is covered. Isn't opsite lots more expensive?

oh-agnurse · Aug 24, 2002

I like the opsite or the 2x2. our sites are in for 3 days, and ususally have 3-4 drips going through--heparin, tridil, integrilin, etc. .We need them really secure, and a bandaid wouldn't cut it.

MollyJ · Aug 25, 2002

I'm partial to a very old fashioned 2 x 2 folding in half and taped down that goes on over the top of the tape that secures the IV cath.

I can't think of a reason NOT to have some kind of dressing over a break in skin integrity, but I wouldn't be wedded to it being a pricey item like an Opsite.

BadBird, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2002

It always comes down to money, to hell with what's best, I say use opsite if it is available.

DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN · Aug 25, 2002

We use opsite in the OR, for the simple reason to monitor for infiltration because we push or meds at rates much higher than on the floor, I personally like them because I can see the site without guessing whats going on underneath any dressings that may be covering the entrance wound itself. The reason I feel this way : Patient came down , case went bad , had to rapid infuse 2 units pbc, and the canula had become disloged during the rapid infusion, it wasnt caught until we were changing bags and atleast 1/2 unit was infused into the subq , I would hope that if it were just plain opsite being used we would have seen the infiltrate faster. Even now if a patient comes to the OR with a dressing other than opsite , I change the dressing, reclean it and change to opsite. I havent seen a policy on it but I do it and anesthesia doesnt seem to mind.

zoe

Youda · Aug 25, 2002

The administrator setting Nursing Standards. Nice. Doesn't anyone have a problem with that? Whether you use tape or opsite is a nursing judgment, IMHO. But, a suit telling you what you HAVE to use, is going a bit too far. What's next? Gonna tell you that you don't need sterile catheters anymore?

Anaclaire · Aug 25, 2002

We always use opsite dressings in the NICU where I work so we can see the site completely and to help the babies not "knock them out". Of course, our patients are tiny babies and even a teaspoon of too much fluid not in the vein can have disasterous consequences!

I wish that I could find some "Evidence-Based Research" on the subject to share with you. If you could find a well designed study on the subject to share with your administration, that would help you incredibly. Unfortunately I'd venture to say your administration has seen some evidence-based research to the contrary which, in turn, prompted them to instruct you to not use the opsite anymore. ARGH!!!

In my experience, the opsite dressings last longer than 2x2s or bandaids and are less painful to remove (when removed as the manufacturer instructs). An interesting study would be to see how long the opsite lasts versus how many times the 2x2 or bandaid must be changed... and how many infiltrates are seen and how bad they are under opsites versus 2x2s and bandaids... It may cost less in the end to use opsites if as much money, or more, is spent on 2x2s, bandaids, and problem infiltrations. Too bad we can't place a price on the actual PAIN experienced by patients who must have tape put on and taken off repeatedly as well as the PAIN associated with an IV infiltration and IV restart!

I swear! If our administrators would live by the golden rule (do unto others as you'd do unto yourself), there would be no question as to which is best. After all, companies spend time, energy and MONEY trying to discover and market items to encourage better care for patients and nurses to implement... if we don't use the good things they market, they'll eventually stop trying to develop products to make life better... (I know the big companies line their pockets with money made from new products too... I know... I know....! What can I say? I'm an eternal optomist!! LOL) I don't want to be mean, but I'd like to see these administrators or someone they love dearly placed in a situation where an opsite would have been better for them! Too many eople don't seem to truly care until something affects THEM! Shameful!!

Good luck to you, however it turns out!

adrienurse, LPN · Aug 25, 2002

I don't work with IVs at all. I was under the impression, though, that opsite products weren't supposed to be used, because they are permeable to air. This is why products like IV300 are supposed to be used.

jeniousno1 · Sep 7, 2002

hello,

in order to ensure safe and best practice is advocated, it is essential that intravenous cannula's are appropriately covered with a suitable dressing, in my trust we use vecafix dressings to cover cannula's or i.v. 3000 dressings, so that infection control measures are in place to minimise secondary complications from having intravenous cannula inserted. sometimes patients may be restless or agitated and atempt to pull their intravenous lne out, a suitable dressing covering will ensure thta the venflon remains secured and additionally minimise the risk of secondary prevention. we are also trying to minimise phlebitis and thrombophlebitis, reduce inflitration and extravastation around the venflon area, so it is crucial that a suitable protective dressing is used -- and not a band - aid. hope this helps.:roll