Reported blood exposure rates and staff nurse satisfaction with a closed surgical drainage system

The purposes of this investigation were (1) to describe performance characteristics, incidence of exposure, and staff satisfaction with a closed drainage system, the Kendall Tru-Close, and (2) to compare performance, incidence of exposure, and satisfaction between the closed drainage system and a currently used surgical drainage system (the Hemovac).

Subjects were 40 adult male and female patients who had undergone selective orthopedic joint surgery. Twenty patients received the Hemovac drainage system, and 20 patients received the Tru-Close drainage system. Data collection instruments included a patient demographic data form, a daily assessment form, a nurses' bedside survey (self-report), and a satisfaction questionnaire.

There were significantly fewer exposures with the closed drainage system when compared with the Hemovac system. An odds ratio of 5.09 indicated that the odds of exposure to fluids with the Hemovac system were five times greater than for the closed system. Nursing satisfaction scores were higher for the Tru-Close system than the Hemovac system for items that related to protection from exposure to self or environment. However, overall nursing satisfaction with the new device was mixed.

Although nurses liked the increased protection from exposure afforded by the Tru-Close drainage system, other patient management issues emerged related to the increased weight of the reservoir bag.