To compare the utilization of a silver non-adherence dressing incorporated under a sterile dry dressing compared to a sterile dry dressing on the colonization of bacteria surrounding a driveline exit site of a ventricular assist device (VAD) as evidence b

Collier, Mary Ann

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Mary Ann Collier, MSN, RN, CCRN-CSC, RT
Cardiac Step Down, UC Health, Cincinnati,, OH

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to differentiate if data results demonstrate variances in the rate of driveline infections at a driveline exit site.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to verbalize what signs and symptoms of infection to assess for at the exit site of a ventricular assist device.

The project was designed to compare the rate of driveline infections, experienced by patients who receive VAD therapy, by monitoring signs and symptoms of infection and pathological growth of bacteria or pathogens surrounding the exit site. Data comparing the use of sterile dry dressings compared to those patients that use the same sterile dry dressing with the addition of the non-adherent silver dressing will be reviewed. A foreign object exiting the body has the potential to become colonized with microorganisms despite stringent care. Moist and exuding wounds create an ideal environment for microbial growth (Jones et al, 2004).

In the presence of moisture, metallic silver becomes ionized. “In its ionic form, silver possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity; this property has led to the inclusion of silver compounds in a variety of dressing products (Atiyeh and Hayek, 2007). Due to the low volume of patients who receive VAD therapy, there are no identifiable preliminary studies available related to the best care and maintenance of the driveline exit site.

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