What is your policy for dressing changes when sterile gauze 2x2's are placed under the wings of the non-coring needle and a transparent dressing placed over the needle, wings and gauze? We have a policy that states the transparent dressing must be changed every 48 hours if gauze is under the dressing, but in actual practice, the dressing is changed every 7 days.
I would like to hear how others treat this situation.
Jo Faux
Hermiston, OR
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
It states in the 2006 (Jan/Feb) INS standards:
If a gauze is used to stabilze the access needle (under the TSM), but not obscure the catheter-skin junction, the drsg is NOT considered a gauze drsg and should be changed at least every 7 days.
So, fold the 2x2 in half and use it just to stabilize the wings and provide pt comfort.