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May 2010

In response to rising concerns about hospital-acquired infections, many states are now requiring public reporting of HAI data.  In this issue, see how one of the leading health systems in the U.S. is using SwabCap™ in its efforts to standardize their disinfection of needleless connectors.

Plus: hear from a renowned infusion safety expert and read about a new study showing SwabCap's effectiveness.

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SwabCap Featured in Pittsburgh Article
  Excelsior
SwabCap was recently highlighted in a front-page article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The article covered Pennsylvania's campaign to reduce hospital-acquired infections by requiring public reporting of HAI data. The article noted that the UPMC Montefiore hospital is using SwabCap as a centerpiece of efforts to eliminate catheter-related bloodstream infections.

 

Dr. Carlene Muto, UPMC's medical director for infection control, showed reporter Sean Harnill "internal data that demonstrated UPMC's ongoing effort to drive the most lethal of infections -- central line bloodstream infections -- down to nearly zero, which is why [UPMC] is trying novel approaches such as the SwabCap."


You can read the entire article here.

Lynn Hadaway on Prefilled Syringes

Lynn Hadaway
The noted infusion safety expert offers her thoughts on the importance of terminal sterilization and other safety factors regarding prefilled syringes for flushing and locking vascular access devices.

View the brief article here.
In This Issue
SwabCap in Pittsburgh
Lynn Hadaway on Prefilled Syringes
Study Shows Effectiveness of SwabCap
Excelsior Medical at INS
Advantages of SwabKIT
Quick Links
Infusion Nurses Society
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New Study Shows Effectiveness of SwabCap
 
A new independent evaluation of in vitro data shows that SwabCap effectively disinfects needleless connectors after just five minutes of connection time. In the study, five samples each of six widely used needleless connector products were inoculated with four common contaminating bacteria, for a total of 120 units tested.

 

Of the 120, 109 had zero colony forming units (CFUs) after SwabCap was used. The remaining 11 had a maximum of five CFUs. The researcher concluded that SwabCap use between line accesses "may help reduce intraluminal catheter colonization" and will:

 

  • "Provide protection from touch and airborne contamination"
  • "Passively disinfect the connection surface and threads of swabable luer access needleless connectors"

 

To see the entire poster, click here.

Excelsior Medical at INS
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Excelsior Medical will be at Booth #523 at the upcoming annual conference of the Infusion Nurses Society (INS) -- May 17-19 in Fort Lauderdale. Excelsior will be demonstrating and providing information on SwabCap, SwabKIT™, and ZR™ Flush Syringes. 

 

The FDA-cleared SwabCap device disinfects swabable luer access valves (needleless connectors). It improves compliance because it twists directly onto the valve, passively disinfecting with 70% isopropyl alcohol. This approach makes it easy to verify compliance with new Joint Commission guidelines. 

 

SwabKIT combines a SwabCap with a 10 mL ZR Pre-filled Saline Flush Syringe in a single package.

Advantages of SwabKIT

Nurses at fCathCare Headeracilities that are using SwabKIT have found that its combination of SwabCap and a pre-filled Excelsior Medical saline flush syringe is fast becoming part of their standard practice.

SwabKIT combines both SwabCap and the syringe together -- incorporating SwabCap into their process of flushing needleless connectors after medication has been delivered.  When SwabCap is incorporated into the process, it will be utilized more and disinfection becomes standardized.  

More on SwabKIT here.