Gum Mastic: What is it and why do I need it for my vascular access dressings?

Text: Gum Mastic: What is it and why do I need it for my vascular access dressings?

Are you struggling with maintaining intact vascular access dressings for up to 7 days as recommended by the Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice?  If so, consider the use of gum mastic to enhance dressing adherence!1

In the brief video below, S. Matthew Gibson RN, CRNI, VA-BC, CPUI shows the simple application process of Mastisol® Liquid Adhesive, the only gum mastic liquid adhesive clinically proven to improve dressing wear time and minimize risk if infection. Matt shares a story of his surprise in seeing a clearly intact dressing observed during his participation in a Vascular Access “Jamboree”.

“I thought it was a 24-hour dressing change. It had been on for 7 days!“

About S. Matthew Gibson, RN, CRNI, VA-B, CPUI

Over the last two decades, S. Matthew Gibson’s mission has been to improve the vascular access and infusion practices and eliminate associated complications through serving on national and regional vascular access and infection control committees, writing evidence-based education programs and speaking publicly on a range of vascular access and infusions techniques and practices. Serving on the Association for Vascular Access PIV Task Force and the Public Policy Committee, he has helped bring awareness of the risk of complications from infusion and vascular access practices and offer better practices to keep patients safe. He has worked clinically placing vascular access devices in an extensive number of facilities across this country in every patient setting including acute care hospitals, long term acute care hospitals, long term care facilities, outpatient infusion clinics, and home care. He has trained hundreds of clinicians on the insertion, care delivery, and management of vascular access devices.

Vascular Access Jamboree: A ‘How to Guide’

One large, urban community hospital has been successful in bringing together unit-based staff, nursing leadership, nursing professional development, clinical nurse specialists, infection prevention, as well as industry partners – the Jamboree team – all with the shared goal of improving vascular access outcomes through routine monthly rounding. If you are interested in learning more about this process, please review the 3-part series consisting of short presentations with actionable take-aways.

About Eloquest Healthcare

FloMedical offers Mastisol Liquid Adhesive, used to secure dressings, tapes, and certain medical devices. Gum mastic is a naturally occurring sticky resin extracted from the mastic tree and is a key ingredient in Mastisol.

Reference

Gorski, LA, Hadaway, L, Hagle, ME, et al. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. 8THJ Infus Nurs. Revised 2021.

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