Hello everyone! Happy Holidays!!
We just started using GuardIVa, which has antibacterial and hemostatic properties. We've been having discussions about whether to leave the GuardIVa in place for 48 hours if it has some blood accumulation so as not to "break the clot" and give it more time to heal/coagulate. When you remove the dressing and clean again with the CHG within the first 24 hours, any healing of the wound edges is slowed/thwarted. As long as the blood is not oozing out from underneath the dressing, but is contained in the GuardIVa, it should be able to be left in place for 48 hours, as you would a gauze dressing. Am I correct? Does anyone have any insight regarding this?
Thank you,
Ann Garland
ABMC Vascular Access
All standards and guidelines - CDC, SHEA, INS, APIC - state that a dressing that is soiled, wet, or nonadherent should be changed immediately. Blood would be soiled. The 48 h change applies only to use of gauze and tape for dressings but soiled, wet, or loose applies to both gauze and TSM dressing. Contact the clinical dept of the manufacturer for their information, but I would suspect they will tell you to follow CDC, INS, etc.
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