A simple timing device for intravenous lines, providing a visual indicator of how long they have been in use
The Problem
Cannulas breach the skin and need to be checked regularly for signs of infection. Because staff may not know when an intravenous line was
fitted, current timekeeping methods can be inaccurate.
The Solution
An inexpensive, simple and accurate timing device from the Timestrip medical device range, that changes colour to indicate how long an intravenous line has been in use, and how soon it will need to be checked or changed.
Medical Device and Timestrip IV
Front-line in the battle against hospital infections
Hospital-caught infections are a significant global problem: infection rates in developed countries typically run from 5% to 10%. In the UK, MRSA costs the NHS £1 billion a year. Timestrip's medical device range includes a device which will assist the healthcare sector in its drive towards controlling and reducing hospital bugs.
Helping hospitals comply
With 60% of blood infections caused by intravenous lines, it is crucial that hospitals have procedures and medical device in place to change IV lines regularly. Timestrip has designed a medical device to help hospitals comply with guidelines to change Peripheral Intravenous Cannulae, or PVCs, every 72 hours. Indication of when to change IV lines has traditionally been hand-written on to patients’ dressings or wristbands; but the NHS will soon stop using hand-written information in favour of printed wristbands.
Timestrip and Brenmoor – providing a workable solution
Timestrip has announced a partnership with market-leading company Brenmoor, which supplies 80% of all printable patient wristbands to the NHS. The partnership will add a new device to Brenmoor’s medical device range: a detachable clip with fully-integrated TimestripIV technology. The TimestripIV is activated when the clip is attached to the Brenmoor wristband, offering hospitals a powerful tool in the infection control process and providing patients with an opportunity to be more involved in their own care, a priority in the NHS.
Demand for Timestrip IV Launched on April 1, 2009, TimestripIV is the second device in the Timestrip Medical device range and the newest addition to the company’s stable of intelligent labelling solutions. The company has already received an order from the award-winning Whittington Hospital in London, which will allow Timestrip to undertake an invaluable in-use assessment of this device.
Benefits speak for themselves With all hospitals now tackling infection control as a priority, the benefits of adopting the TimestripIV technology within the medical device range could not be more convincing:
• Higher profile for infection control
• Positive steps towards patient protection
• Significant cost savings from cutting infection rates
• Improved patient satisfaction
To find out more about Timestrip® technology and medical device
