Festive PICC Sleeves
Wednesday 22 December 2021
Our Industry Ambassador, Steve Tooke, has collaborated with NIVAS on an innovative prototype concept to refine the design and development of a wearable IV protector sleeve. This has been through clinical and patient evaluation and incorporates novel functionality to enhance patient safety and security and improve patient wellbeing.
From a clinical perspective there a number of key concerns around common practice:
- IV Lines (PICC and Midline) are vital for patients treatment, but they are vulnerable to being inadvertently dislodged. Safety and security of these lines and devices is paramount;
- Some patients, especially outside the clinical setting are anxious about PICC safety and also being seen by others;
- The tubular bandages most often used are not designed to stabilise IV devices and may even contribute towards dislodgement and besides not being aesthetically dignified; and
- Patients often resort to homemade solutions which are not fit for purpose.
This rigorous and robust product evolution exercise has taken each new prototype back to patients for evaluation, the iterative designs incorporate the patients feedback but also those of front line clinical practitioners. The IV Protector sleeve has novel and innovative features for both children and adults of all sizes and it is hoped this will transform the IV patients care pathway.
For more information, please contact nathaniel.mills@nihr.ac.uk