Avoiding Contamination: Common Ways We Cross-Contaminate and How to Avoid It
As the medical profession advances, as does the awareness of cross-contamination and where germs are harbored. It is important to understand that bacteria and viruses are not the only things that are transferred from surface to surface and patient to patient. Food particles, medications or medical products, fibers, pests, and other substances can also be…
Making Tracheostomy Care As Comfortable As Possible: Caring For Your Patients
In the United States, there are more than 100,000 tracheostomy procedures performed each year. While less than 20% of these are permanent and will be discharged home with the patient, all tracheostomies will initially be cared for by the medical professional, namely nursing staff. A tracheostomy is a tube placed through the cricothyroid membrane, directly…
Caring for an Indwelling Foley Catheter – A Caretaker’s Guide to Supporting Patient Health and Safety
As a nurse, nursing assistant, or another healthcare professional or personal caretaker, there is a good chance that you will take care of patients who have an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC). The goal when caring for an IUC is keeping the patient safe and healthy. While IUCs are convenient for healthcare staff and help accurately…
A Review of Evidence-Based Research on CAUTI Prevention
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are the most widely reported healthcare-associated infection (HAI). It is estimated that nearly 40% of HAI are CAUTI, leading central-line associated bloodstream infections, surgical site infections, and ventilator-associated pneumonia by wide margins. 75% of UTIs that are acquired in an acute care setting are attributed to indwelling urinary catheters (IUC)….
Caring For the Incontinent Patient
As a healthcare professional in any setting, at some point, you will provide care for a patient that is incontinent. Whether you are a nurse, physical therapist, or nurse assistant, you’ll have to modify your care plan to accommodate for their incontinence. As the primary care provider, your care will revolve around the incontinence and…
3 Reasons to Use Water Soluble Medical Lubricant
In the medical lubricant industry, there are many different varieties of products to choose from, each serving their purpose. The procedure you are performing and with what instruments will often dictate which lubricant you select. Join us in today’s post as we offer just three reasons to use water-soluble lubricants for all of your medical…
Making Suppository Use as Comfortable As Possible — A Patient’s Self-Care Guide
There are not too many times when a person is prescribed a suppository, that they are excited about it. However, suppositories offer much relief and benefits that oral medications cannot. In today’s post, we are going to review some suppository basics and tips to help make the administration of them more comfortable. All of the…
Preventing Surgical Site Infection is an Organizational Responsibility
As the operating room empties and the sterilization process begins for the next patient, the last thing to be swept up off the floor is the empty packet of Surgilube® that has crusted to the floor by bloody footprints. Though the emergency surgery lasted longer than anyone expected, this trauma didn’t get the best of…
Tips for Urinary Catheter Management
If you or your loved one is home with an indwelling, intermittent, or suprapubic urinary catheter, you may be wondering how you will manage this new need. The good news is, a urinary catheter is fairly safe and convenient, and once you get the hang of it, you won’t even notice it! The even better…
Is Surgilube Safe? A Review Of The Safety Data Sheet
Surgilube Surgical Lubricant by HR Pharmaceuticals is a super smooth translucent gel that can be used as a medical lubricant in a variety of settings. Surgilube has been trusted by medical professionals as the go-to lubricant for more than 80 years. Because it is a sterile, water-soluble, latex-free, bacteriostatic lube, it is generally safe to…