Stat locks! Yay!

[SheriLynnRN]

Ok, you might call them something different. They are these little plastic clamps/holders for IV catheter stabilization, instead of tape. They have adhesive, similar to foam tape, which adheres to the skin below the IV site. There is a plastic clip with a channel for the hub of the iv catheter to sit in, and then you just click it closed. Then you put a clear tegaderm over the site. We use Persist, a site prep that has residual antimicrobial properties for 120 hours. With that, and the stat locks which almost eliminate movement of the catheter in the vein, our policy is that we have 96 hours before we have to change the iv site. And, from what i've seen so far, they almost always last that long.

Just another of the wonderful things my new facility does that just makes sense. Gosh, I'm gonna love this job!

Anyone else have experience with these? We have 'em for PICCs too.

[cancerrn]

I hate to disagree with you, but I've only had bad experiences with stat locks. We went through a little phase at our hospital using stat locks for PICC lines rather than suturing them to the pt's skin. We had lots of problems with the stat locks. It is a challenge for me to change them while doing a central line dressing change without pulling the PICC out at all; needless to say, it is very difficult to teach pts how to change them themselves. We also had several pts pull them off and lose their PICCs by accident. I haven't seen stat locks used for peripheral IVs, however.

I hope you have better luck with your stat locks than we did!

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Post a ling about them if you can.

[Nurseboy1]

I have to agree that I hate the stat lock when used for PICC dressings, they make the dressing change more difficult. Our IV team uses them when they place PICCs, but then we have to change the dressing the next day to remove the gauze pad over the insertion site, they just really complicate the dressing change. Steri-strips work just as good in my humble opinion.

[Gail-Anne]

I wish my site did use stat-locks (I'm a PICC nurse). There's a lot of data on cost savings, fewer pulled out lines and even less phlebitis using them. The stats on needle injuries suturing are very high. Stat-locks are also available for urinary catheters etc. Remember to always use alcohol swab to loosen it from the skin. I've never heard of pt changing their own PICC drsgs. Sounds very risky at the best of times.

[MissJoRN, RN]

I haven't seen them with PICCs, or if I have paid not attention in the OR but they do work great for peripherals. I love how they just sort of snap around the hub and seem so secure. We recently had a patient leave AMA and boy was she PO'd when she couldn't rip out her own line, LOL! Wish we had them in my peds floor days!!!

[SheriLynnRN]

I have to admit, I do like them a lot better on the peripherals than the PICCs. I've only changed one picc dressing with a stat lock so far, and it went ok, but the tegaderm does seem to stick to the stat lock. i made absolutely sure I didn't pull at the tegaderm in the direction that would make the picc slide out. My old facility didn't suture, just steristrips, so this is an improvement. it's too bad that more facilities don't use them for peripherals.

I found a link for these: http://www.statlock.com/products.html

My facility uses the StatLock IV plus. There are a few different ones for peripherals.