How To Avoid Diseases With a Safety Closed IV Catheter

What often happens without a safety closed IV catheter

You have found the vein, assembled your supplies and disinfected the skin. A perfect, smooth motion, and the needle is in the vein; blood “flashback” confirms proper placement. You withdraw the catheter and although you apply some pressure on the vein, some blood leaks out before you can connect the extension set to the IV catheter. You clean up the blood from the patient’s skin before applying the dressing; however, a few drops got onto the chair, which you will have to clean and disinfect.

At least the job is done. You tidy up the work area and begin disposing of the sharps. As you throw the used needle into the sharps container, it bounces out and punctures the skin on your hand.

Your day just turned from reasonable to nightmarish. Now you must report to Employee Health and get tested for HIV, Hepatitis C and other illnesses. If you did contract one or more of these conditions, your health could deteriorate significantly.

These terrible consequences could have been easily avoided with a safety closed IV catheter such B. Braun Introcan.

How to avoid the risk of catching and spreading bloodborne pathogens

What would have happened if you used safer IV catheter?

After you puncture the vein and as you withdraw the catheter, no blood leaks out because it is stopped by the membrane inside the IV catheter. You do not have to clean up any blood spills.

After the job is done and as you begin disposing of the sharps, even if you come into direct contact with the IV needle, no needle stick is possible.

As is the case with many things in health and medicine, it is far better to be safe than sorry. Please have a look at the Introcan IV catheters from B. Braun and consider switching to them in your practice.