Forum topic

4 posts / 0 new

Tue, 04/17/2007 - 21:54

ljasinsky

Ports

Several Questions have come up lately as we are revising our policies here,

1) How often are you changing a dressingÂ once accessing the infusing port? Is everyone using gause under the dressing?

2)Does anyone access the infus a ports for intermittent therapies and leave them accessed and if so for how long do you leave them accessed?

thanks so much

you cna e-mail me at [email protected]

or call at 614-544-2290

0r fax a policy to 614 544-1800 attn lisa

Tue, 04/17/2007 - 21:56

lynncrni

Dressing can be changed once

Dressing can be changed once per week or when the integrity is compromised. You can now leave gauze or a shim under the wings to provide stability without it becoming a 48 hours dressing change, according to the INS SOP. The port remains accessed for 7 days when the needle must be changed. For intermittent therapy of a few weeks, the port may not be the first choice of catheters unless the patient already has a port in place. Lynn

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

Thu, 04/19/2007 - 12:26

G.G. Northington

There has been discussion at

There has been discussion at my facility about the oncology nurses that put a 2x2 gauze over the needle (and one to stabalize the needle) to keep the occlusive dressing from sticking to it. So, does that make it a dressing that needs to be changed every 48 hours vs 7 days?

Mon, 04/23/2007 - 15:27

(Reply to #3) #4

lynncrni

Omit the gauze on the top

Omit the gauze on the top and you are ok for a transparent dressing change at least every 7 days. The gauze on top prevents you from seeing the needle-skin junction, which is also noted in the INS standards. Change dressing and needle together and there should be no worry about separating the TSM from the port needle wings. Lynn