They're here. Chlorascrub(Trademark) Swab from
PDI. It contains Chlorhexidine 3.15% and Isopropyl Alcohol 70%. I
just got some samples from our rep two weeks ago. It's a flat square pad
like an alcohol swab, only more expensive. I was in the middle of a PICC
line insertion when the rep came by, and haven't been in contact with her since
to ask her whether they had any data demonstrating the superiority of
Chlorhexidine for disinfecting hubs, etc. I suspect that if it has
the same persistence of action on plastic that it does in the skin, it will do a
better job of preventing catheter related blood stream infections than plain
alcohol, but that's not data.
Jerry Bartholomew RN BSN
CRNI
Vascular Access
Specialist
Veterans
Affairs Medical Center
Spokane, Washington
From: Lynn Hadaway [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, March 10, 2006 12:37 PM
To: Bartholomew , Jerry A (SPO); Tami Spaeder; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Chloroscrub vs. alcohol swabs/phenergan issue
No studies so far and I am not sure how practical it would be to use the
current package configurations of chlorhexidine to swab an injection port. I am
not aware of any chlorhexidine product that is packaged as a flat swab pad like
plain alcohol. Lynn
At 10:48 AM -0800 3/10/06, Bartholomew , Jerry A (SPO) wrote:
I've been wondering the same thing about the Chlorascrub swabs. I'm pretty sure they're more deadly to bacteria, and have all of the advantages of Chlorhexidine, but I have not seen any studies comparing them to alcohol swabs for device disinfection. I think the answer is that we just don't have the data.
Jerry Bartholomew RN BSN CRNI
Vascular Access Specialist
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Spokane, Washington
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tami Spaeder
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:18 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Chloroscrub vs. alcohol swabs/phenergan issue
Questions for the group:
2. We have the ability to now use the Chloroscrub Swabs in our hospital. They are, however, more expensive than alcohol swabs. We are trying to decide what to ask our hospital for regarding what we need and what we would use the swabs for. Most of our nurses don't spend the required amount of time swabbing hubs/caps with the alcohol swabs. Is anyone else switching over to these swabs in place of the alcohol swabs? And, if you are, are you using them for all IVs or just for central lines?
1.Our local college has clinical for the nursing students at our hospital. At a recent staff meeting one of the instructors said she will not require her students to dilute IV Phenergan unless we make a policy. In looking up Phenergan in two Mosby's we have, we found one states to dilute and the other says it is optional to dilute before giving. Our PICC team knows the affects Phenergan if it infiltrates into the tissues. I look at this as being a normal, common sense 'nursing consideration' for a medication. Many medications have 'nursing considerations', they don't all need a policy to back it up. Any thoughts?
Tami Spaeder, RN, BSN
--
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RNC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
