Sharpie on Tegaderm

[Mavrick]

My workmate is desperate to know if a Sharpie/Magic Marker bleeds through a Tegaderm/Opsite and leaves marks on the skin.

Immediate respones are, of course, appreciated but anything is better than the response from the "Sharpie Lady" who kept my workmate on hold for 10 minutes then said, "I don't think so."

I need some cold hard facts from the trenches and if you end up with a smiley face on your arm from experimenting chalk it up to EBP.

Thank you all in advance. I will appreciate any and all respones, I mean it!

[Big Blondie, ASN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

Awe, shux, I was thinking this could be a clinical project, you could do a cohort study, with randomization, I mean, really, develop your hypothesis.....lol But I see its already been done!

[annabanana2]

No, of course it doesn't. I'm talking about the non-sterile Tegaderm that comes on a roll - the IV dressings, Tegaderm Absorbent and Tegaderm Hydrocolloid I can't speak for. I wouldn't recommend writing on the clear bits of Tegaderm IV or Absorbent but I bet the hydrocolloid dressing would be fine.

I spend a lot of time placing/removing fentanyl patches on clients and I cover all with non-sterile Tegaderm and date with a sharpie. Never seen it bleed through.

[MsCupcakes]

Just tested this with Opsite Flexifix, with both Sharpie and Bic brand permanent markers in varying colors. There was no bleed-through present with any of the tested markers, but there was a slight residual odor after removal of the film.

[hawaiicarl, BSN, RN]

I always forget to use the stupid paper that comes with the central line dressing kits, so end up using a sharpie, never have I seen it leave ink on a patient when I remove it.

Cheers

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

I know with our individually packaged tegaderms they come with a small stick on bit to sign and date them.

[m0lasses]

You can also use small paper tape over the edge of the tegaderm and write on that.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Edit: will repost after pictures are resized

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Okay, here we go.

First, our contestants:

Hypafix, Tegaderm, IV 3000 Hand, and Opsite Flexifix.

Next, the writing utensils:

A Mini Sharpie, a Fine Tipped Sharpie (which wasn't nearly as different from the Mini Sharpie as I had hoped), a Bic Permanent marker, and an RSVP gel pen for good measure.

I decided to letter each sample and made myself a key:

All set!

After the last one was applied, I waited 10 minutes with them on. I rubbed the ink to confirm it was dry and had "set." Then I removed them.

No ink bled through.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

Wouldn't the sharpie potentially rub off onto the gown/clothes/sheet? I wouldn't be worried about it bleeding through, I would be more worried about it coming off.

[Postpartum RN]

Lol great study!! Thanks for the pics

When I worked in a clinic we used all sorts of drsgs and tegaderms and wrote on them all the time, never seen one bleed through.

To the poster right above me, sharpie is a permanent marker, it doesn't rub off onto any clothing or anything like that

[Guest219794]

Well, blood doesn't bleed through. If there is anything that tends to bleed, I would think it would be blood.

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/447983O/tegaderm-transparent-film-dressing-product-profile.pdf

Waterproof, sterile barrier—impervious to liquids, bacteria and viruses*Tegaderm™ dressing acts as a barrier to protect the I.V. site or wound from external contaminants suchas bacteria, viruses,* blood and body fluids.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

...the tegaderm and company made your skin so red and irritated though, blondy.......

Ooops, wait, off topic, story for another thread...