Impact of Availability of Showerpatch for Patients With Intravenous Catheters (ISIC)

Comparison of Showerpatch Versus Other Measures to Protect Intravenous Catheter Entry Site During Bathing Activities

Venous catheters are necessary for the treatment of many patients. Showering with a venous catheter is often prohibited due to the infection risk when the insertion site becomes wet. Therefore these patients are challenged to keep the catheter insertion site dry and always covered with a dressing. Washing themselves is often impossible without assistance of a nurse or significant other. For patients with a catheter connected to an infusion line, it is even more difficult. Showerpatch is a newly developed dressing that safeguards the insertion site of an IV catheter from water during bathing activities. The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the impact of the availability of Showerpatch by comparing the outcomes in patients regarding the patient's autonomy in bathing activities, the material use and the time needed from caregivers in home care. Additionally qualitative data on patient's bathing activities and the use of Showerpatch will be collected.

No specific dressing will be provided to the patient to protect the catheter entry site during bathing activities.

autonomy regarding bathing activities will be scored on a newly developed autonomy scale on a weekly basis

Weekly reported, until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Before and after bathing activities, reported until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Before and after bathing activities, reported until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Weekly reported, until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Description of material which was used for catheter dressing protection and/or for the extra dressing change and/or extra securement of the dressing afterwards.

Weekly reported, until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Before and after bathing activities, reported until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Collected at the end of the study by retrospective analysis of the patient file in case of hospital admission

Redness or other sign of skin irritation at the place where adhesive of the new protection dressing had contact with the skin on a yes/no basis

Before and after bathing activities, reported until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Before and after bathing activities, reported until catheter removal which is expected on an average after 2 weeks or up to 8 weeks

Inclusion Criteria: able to read and speak Dutch and to fill out a web-based questionnaire patients with an IV catheter (peripheral catheter, midline, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), Central Venous catheter (CVC), tunnelled catheter or implantable port) with an expected dwell time IV therapy of at least 14 days and with or without a prospect of discharge to the home setting with the IV catheter in situ in the foreseen study period physically able to wash themselves with access to the internet Exclusion Criteria: Bedridden patients Patients who have already participated in an earlier stage of the ISIC study Patients with more than one lumen of the catheter continuously connected to an infusion line

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