sureseal bandaids

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Can anyone explain why dialysis units to not routinely use sureseal bandaids of other types that help stop bleeding. It is awfully frustrating to see patients who bleed and have no basic intervention (verbal education) from staff. I am aware that some units routinely use sureseal and then there is another that Gambro makes - forget the name. But believe they are both the same and the ingredient is is a dispersed oxidized cellulose. Any information on this would be appreciated. Thank you.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Fresenius just quit paying for them. So..if its covered by a pts insurance, I'll write a script. I personally like them.

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They used to pay for it - Gambro did until 2004 (I believe), and then it became a casualty of cost cutting. All our pleading (staff and patients alike) did no good to convince them that they were not really saving anything... consider: you're saving about 16 cents per Sureseal (current retail cost - I'm sure it cost them less since they undoubtedly got quantity discounts), but you're having higher expenses for gauze, chux (due to excessive bleeding), not to even mention additional staff (over)time if prolonged bleeding causes subsequent patient shifts to get on - and therefore off - late. It just never made any sense to me.

I never really appreciated Sureseals until they were gone - and did I miss them then!

traumaRUs, I think it's great that you're doing this - but unless Medicare or Medicaid pays, few pts will get the benefit of a script... just like it was (is?) with EMLA.

DeLana

P.S. I now work in acutes, and no, we don't have Sureseals (they have actually never heard of them), but we can afford to sit at the pt's bedside and hold needles sites for a long time... (not that I enjoy it, I'd rather have Sureseals or a similar bandage!)

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WHile I was out yesterday, I looked in several drug stores and found similar items under the name of the drug store. These products - bandaids do the same as sureseal and tipstop bandaids and contain the same ingredient - oxidized cellulose... and cheaper..so, on the shelf as OTC they are 6/$3.00. Sure dialysis units can purchase even cheaper. I thnk from what I am hearing, reading, that it is the 'here and now' that units/corporate look at and not other issues ie cost related to what Delana stated ie overtime, etc.. but, then does the patient not come first? This is the part that is frustrating for me.

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

I am glad at my unit...we had both sureseals and tipstops!! It sure made my life easier with those who hate to stop bleeding after treatment! I am suprized by how many places do not have them...but I worked for a Non-Profit org. maybe that makes a difference!

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We recently had two patients from my old clinic in the hospital who were in because of uncontrollable bleeding from their accesses post-dialysis - one of them told me, "They just wouldn't use Tipstops or Sureseals anymore, although I really need them." :angryfire

This makes me want to start a collection fund to buy such products for the pts (generic brand is fine!), but of course I don't work for the company anymore - and if I did, they surely wouldn't go for it (after all, it would be an admission that not providing these products for the patients is wrong).

DeLana :(

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Specializes in ICU, Haemodialysis, acute medicine and s.

here in Scotland the unit uses both tipstops and sureseals as a regular dressing on all patients, however the unti i used to work on in England did not use them except for the odd atient and the dressing of choice was simple gauze and tape, however I'm sure the cost savings were balanced out because when a patient was bleeding excessivly we would use the expensive stuff,which i completely forget the name of but it like kaltostat and costs about $40 per piece.

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here in Scotland the unit uses both tipstops and sureseals as a regular dressing on all patients, however the unti i used to work on in England did not use them except for the odd atient and the dressing of choice was simple gauze and tape, however I'm sure the cost savings were balanced out because when a patient was bleeding excessivly we would use the expensive stuff,which i completely forget the name of but it like kaltostat and costs about $40 per piece.

:lol2: This just shows you that the bean counters totally miss the big picture.

Sadly, who suffers? The patients, of course (and the clinical staff!).

DeLana

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