Just to clarify, the Hopkins experience wasn't from split septum to mechanical. It was from mechanical non-positive pressure to a positive pressure device. We went back to the non-positive pressure device and saw the drop in our CRBSI rate. Our non-positive pressure needleless device is not split septum.
Beverly Reynolds, RN, MBA Nurse Manager, Vascular Access Team The Johns Hopkins Hospital 410-614-1895 >>> Lynn Hadaway <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 04/08/06 1:57 PM >>> You are a little ahead of the game by asking for information that does not exist yet. We know that several hospitals are reporting a higher rate of CRBSI after switching from a split septum device to a mechanical valve. Some have then switched back to a split septum and found the rate of CRBSI went back to the original level. To my knowledge there is no real clinical studies (randomized, prospectice controlled clinical trials) that have been done on the positive pressure valves. So we don't have hard data on their effectiveness with catheter lumen occlusion. We also do not know yet if the rise in infection rates is due to the fact that nurses were not cleaning the mechanical valves or is there something about the design of these devices that prevents adequate cleaning. I have personally witnessed many times within the past year when nurses were going to hook up tubing to a mechanical valve without any cleaning. So no one has issued any guidelines, recommendations or standards to avoid using any type of needleless connector. Much more research is needed. Lynn At 2:14 PM -0400 4/7/06, Mary M. Maskell Amirault wrote: >Can someone send me in the right direction for the latest info on >infections and effectiveness of positive pressure valves for central >lines. Are caps not to be used at all to cover ports? Thanks > > > > >----------------------------------------- >CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any attachments may contain >confidential information that is protected by law and is for the >sole use of the individuals or entities to which it is addressed. >If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender by >replying to this email and destroying all copies of the >communication and attachments. Further use, disclosure, copying, >distribution of, or reliance upon the contents of this email and >attachments is strictly prohibited. To contact Albany Medical >Center, or for a copy of our privacy practices, please visit us on >the Internet at www.amc.edu. -- 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
