Taping in your catheter?

Re: Taping in your catheter?

fairy — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 21:26:50 GMT

Are you wearing different gloves? If so, they could be making everything more slippy or difficult.

Re: Taping in your catheter?

Celine — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 09:09:40 GMT

I don't have anything genius to add except -

I worked with someone who taught me to secure one end of the tape (before getting near the patient) to my LEFT thumbnail. bear with me, it works. I am right-handed, so this means I can use my left hand to hold/cup the leg, with the thumb closest to the catheter. Then using right hand draw tape under the catheter (definitely agree about getting a layer of tape under, it makes it so much more secure) and around leg, going over the catheter in the second loop.

This way there is one less end flapping about getting stuck on things!

Re: Taping in your catheter?

Carolyn Edwards — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 00:24:26 GMT

We put the tape underneath the catheter and as close up to the venipuncture as possible then wrap around the leg & over the catheter, which seems it help to stick. I always squish the tape onto the catheter hub to ensure good contact.

Do you put a tension loop into the giving set or T-port? I usually create a tab with the tape as that seems to help it fix onto the giving set. Mind you, I have seen animals put back into kennels with the port of the giving set outside the door, meaning that as soon as the animal moved it pulls on the giving set which is unable to slide through the gap, potentially pulling the catheter out of the leg. Even a loop would struggle to cope with that kind of tension!

One other thing we sometimes do, especially if giving fluids rather than just placing a catheter for GA, is to put a 3rd piece of tape on the catheter. It's placed underneath the bung or T-port connector, sticky side up, with equal amounts of tape either side. Each side in turn is then wrapped back over, at an angle so that the first doesn't stick to the second, and around the leg. If this doesn't make sense I could try to draw it!

Cxx

Re: Taping in your catheter?

wilkoannie — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:40:45 GMT

Thankyou Carolyn. I just seem to be all fingers and thumbs with the tape. It's good advice regards to practice at home then cause I think I'll feel less stressed then to. I don't know what's happening, catheter goes in and then I'm fingers and thumbs getting tape on, I cover the hub so can't get the giving set in, animals go in kennels and then the drip comes out with the catheter. Just going to keep at it. I was just wondering how everyone else tapes their catheters in? See if there's any new methods compared to my old one lol. Thank you so much for reply xx

Re: Taping in your catheter?

Carolyn Edwards — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:21:33 GMT

We don't use butterfly catheters so no specific advice I'm afraid. It's easy to lose confidence if you have a few difficulties in a short time, even with something you've done for years, but if you take a catheter and some tape home you can practice in private on something that vaguely resembles a leg, such as pipe insulation. Have you changed anything recently that might affect the security of the catheter, such as a different type of catheter or tape, anything different about clipping & scrubbing the leg? If you finding anything else difficult it may be as simple as needing glasses or a different prescription if you already have them.

I hope this helps, good luck. xx