Along with regulatory requirements mandated by the CDC and The Joint Commission, managing risk is a key factor in determining patient care protocol. As clinical administrators develop the protocols for their organization, they research clinical evidence and data for support. When it comes to intravenous (IV) administration of medication and fluids, there are several guidelines and requirements each organization must strictly adhere to. Each Healthcare provider or health system determines its own policies and protocols to meet regulatory requirements and provide specific guidelines for clinical staff.
Regulatory Requirements and Recommendations for IV Admin Set Changes
The CDC’s guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections (2011, edited Feb. 2017) vary by type of catheter and the fluid being administered. The Joint Commission annually issues its National Patient Safety Goals. NPSG.07.04.01 which states, “Implement evidence-based practices to prevent central line–associated bloodstream infections. Note: This requirement covers short- and long-term central venous catheters and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines.” For timing of the IV tubing change, most organizations adopt a 96-hour or 72-hour change policy.
Most Hospitals Use Visual Reminder Labels
The vast majority of hospitals are currently using visual reminder labels as their primary reminder system for IV tubing changes. According to a recent survey, color coded reminder labels are most popular, followed by day of the week labels, and then plain IV reminder labels. It has become standard practice to use IV reminder labels as part of the hospital’s protocol for IV tubing changes. Identifying the start date and time, as well as the change date and time, and the administering nurse’s initials are standard practice and often checked by The Joint Commission as part of accreditation.
TimeAlert™ IV Provides a Visual Cue & Reminder When It’s Time to Change
With TimeAlert™IV time-indicating reminder labels, any caregiver will know at a glance how much time has elapsed since the last tubing change. To use the time indicator, the caregiver writes the start date/time and change date/time, along with his/her initials—the same as current protocol. Then he/she pushes the button to activate the indicator, which then displays a blue line in the viewing window. The label must then be applied to the IV line, near the drip chamber for best visibility. Once the 72-hour or 96-hour time span has elapsed, the viewing window will be completely blue. This product supplements your
current protocol for IV changes.
See how it works in this video.
Staff Compliance
Because it’s easy to use and works around the clock to provide a visual reminder of time elapsed since the last change, TimeAlert™ IV time-indicating reminder labels assist staff compliance for IV tubing changes with a simple push of a button.
Removes the Guesswork
It takes the guesswork out of using standard visual reminder labels and allows organizations to standardize to a single format label. Also, there’s one standardized indicator to use, rather than requiring nurses to learn an additional color coding system to understand the day of the week.
Works Around the Clock
TimeAlert™ IV shows the progression of time in a visual format, regardless of human errors that can occur and impact timing, such as writing illegibility or a wrong date/time. With a quick glance, any nurse can see whether or not the full time has elapsed.
Nurses Could Use the Help
Nurses deserve all the help they can get with the myriad of responsibilities they assume every day. Helpful tools and visual reminders like TimeAlert™ IV can help make a difference, one IV tubing change at a time. To learn more about TimeAlert™ IV, visit www.pdchealthcare.com/timealert.
Findings from 2018 Survey of Nurse Leaders & Infection Control Preventionists Indicate Importance of Timely IV Changes
Clinical and Infection Control teams agree that timely IV tubing changes are important and impact patient care. TechValidate conducted a survey of 112 nurse leaders with respondents’ titles ranging from Chief Nursing Officer and Nursing Director to Charge Nurse and Nurse Supervisor. A survey of Infection Control preventionists was also conducted in parallel, yielding 174 responses from respondents representing Infection Control directors, managers, supervisors, specialists, and coordinators. Click here to see the results.
The label is intended for use only as a secondary reminder. Healthcare professionals are to follow their organization’s protocol for changing IV tubing and other use cases that utilize this technology.
