I did see this once. A pt returned from the OR with newly placed, accessed port. It had a not-very-esthetic gauze and tape dressing, so we carefully removed the dressing so we could reprep and put a TSM. Lo and behold, the TSM was on the patient, with the port needle right through the TSM.
I think the issue of how to dress a newly placed port is important, however. What I find frequently is that pt returns with steri-strips covered by TSM WITHOUT needle access. Then we (oncology nurses--usually me) have to remove part of the TSM, enough to prep and access, but not pull the TSM off of the steri-strips as strips cannot be removed from the TSM adhesive. The use subcutaneous sutures with steri-strips for skin closure. I might be in favor of a small piece of gauze put over the strips to protect them from TSM adhesive for the first little while. Donna Fritz, MN, RN, OCN Oncology/Pain Clinical Nurse Specialist Cancer Center St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center 719.560-5215 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***************************************************************************** This communication is for the use of the intended recipient only. It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, any disclosure, copying, further distribution or use thereof is prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please advise me by return e-mail or by telephone and delete/destroy it. *****************************************************************************
