Cleaning your IV site

[tcripp]

When you clean your IV site, what is your method for cleaning? Alcohol alone, betadine alone or both alcohol then betadine?

[2Rude4MyOwnGood]

Alcohol alone here. Circular motion moving outward from the site.

[FireMedic65]

Depends of course. Normally, I will use an alcohol pad. If the person is dirty of bloody, I will use something else.

[2Rude4MyOwnGood]

Depends of course. Normally, I will use an alcohol pad. If the person is dirty of bloody, I will use something else.

We have Chloropreps or whatever they're called for that. Kinda handy if you ask me.

Im still just a fan of alcohol preps unless i really need to clean up a mess. I try to use as few materials as possible when starting an IV. (1 alcohol prep, 1 needle, 1 tegaderm, 1 piece of tape).

[crotchitymedic1986]

Good question, as I am sure you know, alcohol has no cleaning properties other than being wet, so betadine is preferred.

[Just Plain Ruff]

We always use chloraprep. Seems to have a direct result of minimal site infections. I'm going off anectdotal evidence and not any true study.

But I don't know of any iv site infections from our iv starts with the chloraprep but I do remember some nasty infections from alcohol alone and then you get the closet betadine allergic reactions = those who don't konw they are allergic but are. BAD mojo.

But I only know my service and it's a small one.

[DwayneEMTP]

Good question, as I am sure you know, alcohol has no cleaning properties other than being wet...

The CDC disagrees.

Perhaps when when you make such comments you can show us the respect of citing them so that it doesn't appear that you are simply passing on rumor as fact.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf

"Alcohol can prevent the transfer of health-care–associated

pathogens (25,63,64). In one study, gram-negative bacilli were

transferred from a colonized patient’s skin to a piece of catheter

material via the hands of nurses in only 17% of experiments

after antiseptic hand rub with an alcohol-based hand

rinse (25). In contrast, transfer of the organisms occurred in

92% of experiments after handwashing with plain soap and

water. This experimental model indicates that when the hands

of HCWs are heavily contaminated, an antiseptic hand rub

using an alcohol-based rinse can prevent pathogen transmission

more effectively than can handwashing with plain soap

and water."

Does this tell the entire story? Of course not. But relying on reputable sources for such information over believing whatever crap your partner happens to mumble in his/her sleep is certainly a beginning.

Actually, the cited document is pretty interesting if you have a few minutes to spend reading it.

Dwayne

[usalsfyre]

Chloraprep is really best practice, if you REALLY want to follow best practices you clean with alcohol, wipe (swiped, not circular) with Chloraprep and the let air dry prior to starting the line. Usually I just wipe with Chloraprep and start the line.

[tcripp]

Chloraprep is really best practice, if you REALLY want to follow best practices you clean with alcohol, wipe (swiped, not circular) with Chloraprep and the let air dry prior to starting the line. Usually I just wipe with Chloraprep and start the line.

While not my original question, your statement encouraged me to do some research...so I'm learning today which is never a bad thing.

Since I was under the impression that chloraprep was used for things such as blood cultures and not for simple IV or even SC/IM injections, I had to do a little reading. Based on this site, http://www.chloraprep.com/, it reads that a chloraprep (which containes a 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate/70% Isopropyl Alcohol formulation) "requires two minutes to begin antimicrobial activity". So, for every IV that you start, you wait two minutes? If so, can I assume you are cleaning the site prior to applying the constricting band?

[Just Plain Ruff]

While not my original question, your statement encouraged me to do some research...so I'm learning today which is never a bad thing.

Since I was under the impression that chloraprep was used for things such as blood cultures and not for simple IV or even SC/IM injections, I had to do a little reading. Based on this site, http://www.chloraprep.com/, it reads that a chloraprep (which containes a 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate/70% Isopropyl Alcohol formulation) "requires two minutes to begin antimicrobial activity". So, for every IV that you start, you wait two minutes? If so, can I assume you are cleaning the site prior to applying the constricting band?

Whoa, I didn't know that.

I'm usually cleaning the site and then letting it air dry. Maybe that takes 2 minutes or so. who knows.

But the 2 minute thing makes sense if you think about it.

How fast does betadine work?

I know that in order for the germ killing functions of Lysol spray to work that you have to spray the area and let it sit for 2-3 minutes and then wipe off.