Surgical drainage devices. Improved securement = improved outcomes

The use of securement devices to prevent the risks, discomfort and expense of accidental dislodgment of surgical drains was investigated by the Royal Columbian Hospital after nursing staff began reporting a previously unrecognized post-operative pain syndrome. Nursing staff discovered the cause and eliminated the recurring syndrome by taking two preventative measures: securing urinary catheters with a Statlock securement device, and hanging the catheter bags to the OR stable. Both practice changes eliminated traction on the catheter, preventing its migration into the patient's bladder neck that caused the syndrome's symptoms of bladder pain and spasm when the patient woke up. There were modifications to the chest tube securement protocol that also included a Statlock securement device that improved the skin integrity of patients and increased nursing application efficiencies by 100%.