Tape Tips and Site Management
During the warm, summer months your patients may experience trouble with their infusion site or sensor staying in place due to excessive sweating or increased outdoor or water activities.* Here are some tips you may want to share in order to help them keep their sites in place while having fun this summer!
- Before insertion, wash hands and prepare the site with alcohol. This will help to remove any lingering oils as well as disinfect the area.
- Scrub the skin with a scrub brush or loofah to help remove any dead surface skin cells.
- Avoid using lotions where the tape will be placed on the skin.
- Trim hair if desired.
- Use a prep wipe or additional adhesive underneath or around the site for extra protection.
- Consider using an antiperspirant solid or spray on the skin prior to insertion. To do this, apply antiperspirant, wait 10-15 minutes, wipe away the excess, and then apply the infusion set or sensor.
A question that may come up from time to time is regarding options for prep wipes and additional adhesives. Prep wipes the patient may consider trying include IV Prep Wipes and Skin-Tac Prep Wipes. Additional adhesives the patient may consider include Hypafix, IV 3000, Mastisol, Tegaderm, and StayPut Patch. If using any of these products, the patient may wish to use an adhesive remover such as Unisolve, Tac-Away, Detachol, or baby oil.
Want to learn more? For access to a comprehensive information guide with additional tape and site management tips click here.
Ongoing Education Opportunity Spotlight:
Connected Insulin Delivery Devices and Clinical Application of Data Certificate Program
Did you know that ADCES offers a variety of certificates and assessment-based learning programs to suit individuals or entire practice teams? In fact, the Connected Insulin Delivery Devices and Clinical Application of Data Certificate Program is one of them! This program explores the benefits of connected insulin delivery devices, like smart insulin pens, and the integrated data that they provide. It’s also available at no charge through DANATech to all ADCES members and learners are eligible for 6 hours of continuing education credit. Click here to learn more.
*
At the time of manufacture and when the reservoir and tubing are properly inserted, your pump is waterproof. It is protected against the effects of being underwater to a depth of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) for up to 24 hours. This is classified as IPX8 rating. See user guide for more details. The sensor and transmitter are water-resistant at 8 feet (2.4 meters) for up to 30 minutes. CGM readings may not be transmitted from the CGM to the pump while in water.