At AVA 2022, expert will share how the “innovative”
dressing improves patient safety while reducing costs
HARTWELL, Georgia. – The UltraDrape® Barrier and Securement Dressing standardizes ultrasound-guided peripheral IV (UGPIV) insertion practices and improves patient safety by enabling a gel-free insertion site, according to Nancy Moureau, RN, PhD, an internationally recognized expert in vascular access and CEO of PICC Excellence.
Dr. Moureau will discuss the development of UltraDrape, as well as best practices for its implementation and use, in an exhibitor symposium talk at 11:30 am CT on October 1, 2022, at the upcoming Association for Vascular Access 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting.
“UltraDrape is the only dressing and protective probe cover that separates the gel and probe from the insertion site,” Dr. Moureau said. “This innovative design allows the inserter to apply consistent aseptic practices while also speeding through the insertion in a time saving and safe fashion. This whole process with the barrier protection makes the procedure safer, faster and even cost-effective, a total win-win for all clinicians and departments toward standardization of these insertions.”
Variability in Aseptic Technique Threatens Patient Safety
In North America, an estimated 12 million ultrasound-guided PIV insertions are performed each year. Ultrasound is a valuable tool that reduces the number of failed PIV insertion attempts and preserves vessel health, particularly for patients with difficult vascular access (DiVA). However, the presence of the ultrasound probe and gel at the sterile insertion site can increase the risk of infection.
Gel on the skin can contribute to contamination if proper aseptic technique is not used, and requires difficult clean up. In addition, any gel left on the skin reduces the adherence of the dressing, increasing the chances of dressing failure.
These risks are heightened if clinicians do not follow safety guidelines for the use of appropriate supplies (i.e. gel and probe protection). Unfortunately, research has shown significant levels of variation in UGPIV procedures, supplies and application of proper aseptic technique, even between departments within the same hospital.
“Aseptic technique is essential for minimizing contamination, but risk to the patient increases if it’s not done in an effective and consistent manner,” Dr. Moureau said.
UltraDrape Minimizes UGPIV Risks
As Dr. Moureau will outline in her talk, UltraDrape (Parker Laboratories) was designed to solve these problems.
UltraDrape is the first dressing designed specifically for use during ultrasound-guided PIV insertions. The transparent barrier dressing makes it easier to maintain asepsis during UGPIV procedures by separating both the ultrasound probe and gel from the sterile insertion site. The ultrasound gel is applied to a disposable film layer instead of the patient’s skin, resulting in a safer, gel-free insertion. This also eliminates the time-consuming post-procedure clean-up and reduces the risk that inadequate gel removal will lead to dressing failure.
A 2021 evaluation by the Association for Safe Aseptic Practice (ASAP) concluded that UltraDrape makes it easier for clinicians to adhere to principles of Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT®), which is becoming the global standard for safety.
“I have yet to find another product that simplifies UGPIV insertions and improves adherence to aseptic technique while also reducing overall costs,” Dr. Moureau said.
Her talk is sponsored by Parker Laboratories, a worldwide leader in ultrasound products for more than 60 years.
The 2022 AVA Scientific Meeting will take place September 30-October 3, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minn., Dr. Moureau will also be presenting the results of a quality improvement study involving a standardized ultrasound-guided PIV insertion protocol using UltraDrape in a hospital setting.
POSTER PRESENTATION: Safe and Efficient: Standardizing Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Insertions with a Transparent Barrier Dressing Cuts Waste, Saves Time, Costs Less, Improves Patient Safety
Authors: Pam Pressnall, RN, VA-BC and Nancy Moureau, RN, PhD, CRNI, CPUI, VA-BC
For more information on the study, AVA attendees can visit PICC Excellence at Booth #616, or Parker Laboratories at Booth #720.
About Dr. Nancy Moureau and PICC Excellence
Nancy Moureau, RN, PhD, CRNI, CPUI, VA-BC, is the owner and president of PICC Excellence, a vascular access education and training service for clinicians. She is a member of the Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research Group (AVATAR) based in Australia. Recognized as an international expert in vascular access education and training, she is widely published in the medical literature, including recent guidelines that defined appropriate indications for insertion, maintenance, and care of PICCs. PICC Excellence provides effective, easy-to-understand in-person and web-based education and training for clinicians worldwide.
For more information about PICC Excellence, visit www.piccexcellence.com.