The importance of IV securement

By Bob Heitkamp

For over 100 years, tape and gauze have been used to secure peripheral IVs. Despite their widespread use, tape and gauze are inadequate and inconsistent ways to secure and align IVs. There are three reasons IV securement should be re-evaluated: 1. Complications from IV catheter movement can be life threatening; 2. IV complications increase IV restarts, and 3. IV restarts are painful, risky and costly for patients, clinicians and healthcare facilities alike.

The lack of adequate IV securement means IV catheters can shift when the patient moves or the IV is bumped. Even small catheter movement can cause phlebitis or swelling of the vein, migration and dislodgment, all of which result in patient discomfort and harm.

A more serious problem is infiltration, which is when the needle or catheter pokes through a blood vessel, leaking fluid into tissue. Side torque can also cause this leakage at the IV entrance site. Leakage of fluids, drugs or blood from the vein into the surrounding tissue is referred to as an extravasation injury, which can cause soft tissue loss and scarring around nerves, joints and tendons.

Other dangerous complications that arise from poor IV securement include non-thrombotic or thrombotic occlusions. Non-thrombotic occlusions can be due to trauma to vessel wall integrity from IV catheter movement. Thrombotic occlusions are clots that develop within or around the catheter or in the surrounding vessel. Occlusions represent a significant threat to patient outcomes and require high cost interventions.

When a patient experiences one or more of the complications from associated adequate IV securement a new IV is started. According to numerous data, 70 percent of IVs fail in the US alone. With 300 million IVs installed every year, that means 210 million IVs are restarted, costing the US healthcare system a staggering $6.7 billion annually. IV restarts mean additional pain for the patient, not to mention exposure to infection. High restart rates associated with taped IV lines also expose clinicians to the risk of needle stick injuries. In addition, frequent IV restarts consume nurses' time, taking them away from patient care and paperwork. The time drain is significant and may lead to overtime or other avoidable labor costs for healthcare facilities.

Patients, clinicians, healthcare facilities and the entire healthcare system pay for the inadequacies from using tape to secure peripheral IVs. Fortunately, an adhesive-free alternative has been developed - Site Saver. Invented by Bob Heitkamp during a long hospitalization from a critical IV site complication, Site Saver offers an innovative way to easily and consistently ensure optimal IV alignment and securement.

Site Saver is a technically advanced, simply designed, recyclable, single-use vascular access accessory. Available in various sizes, Site Saver is a lightweight, infinitely adjustable plastic stabilization device that can withstand a jerking force of more than 100 pounds (four times the breaking point of tested IV tubing). With Site Saver, clinicians can quickly align and secure tubing to prevent IV loss and enhance patient comfort.

Site Saver testing has indicated numerous clinical and cost benefits. By keeping the IV tubing still yet allowing for a full range of patient movement, Site Saver can decrease pain, reduce swelling and help prevent phlebitis. Site Saver promotes positive flow thereby improving IV dwell time (to 96 hours) and IV success rates by 90 percent (data on file).

Because Site Saver is easy to apply and allows for clear visibility for IV management, clinicians could see vast time savings. Longer dwell times combined with lower restart rates could mean an $8 savings for every US patient with an IV or a $2.4 billion annual savings.

Site Saver is designed to mitigate the pain and complications associated with peripheral IVs and to reduce the unnecessary costs associated with IV restarts. Site Saver is currently available for sale in the US and is a powerful, low-impact complement to an arsenal of vascular access products already in use.

For more information or to order product, please visit: www.sitesaver.biz

Biorgaphy

Bob Heitkamp is a serial entrepreneur and inventor. He is currently the founder and president of Midwest Applied Technologies, a new product development company. Its first product, Site Saver, is a vascular access alignment and securement device he invented during a long hospital stay.