Comparison between transparent and tape dressing with their complications associated with intra-venous therapy

This study was conducted to compare two dressings, transparent dressing and tape dressing, for their infection rates and complications associated with the dressings. The sample population came from the in-patients who have their IV therapy while staying in a regional general hospital. The IV team members were in charge with collecting the patient data while replacing the IV insertion. Eight hundred and twenty four patients with 2609 catheter insertions were recruited. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, one group was with transparent dressing and the other was with tape dressing when patients had their catheters secured. Male/female ratio, average days of hospitalization, underlying diseases, insertion sites, catheter lasting days, were found no difference between two groups. The need for replacement, such as time interval due, symptom of infiltration, IV occlusion, presence of pain, phlebitis, dislocation, were found no significance difference in this study. However, the patients with transparent dressing frequently dislocated and plug-out than patients with tape dressing. Moreover, the complications associated with infection were found no difference between two groups. The cost of tape dressing was 3.103 NT dollars less than transparent in every use. Therefore, the result was provided a reference of choosing dressing in clinical field.