Comfort and Compassion are always welcome friends...
Hygienic, Single-use Disposable, Ambidextrous, Hypo-Allergenic,
100% Biodegradable, One Size Fits All (Small Children Through Very Large Adults)

After significant research and development into this innovative yet simple product, 
Progressive Doctors, LLC is proud to introduce the I.V. Safety Cuff™.

Problem: We are quite confident that the conventional practice of securing an intravenous line "safety or release loop" with adhesive tape to the bare forearm is not a good thing (see results of doing so below).  This common and every day oversight of applying an adhesive backed tape directly onto the forearm skin, usually results in some type of skin tearing, shearing, tape allergy,
or (if you are lucky) only painful hair removal.

            
Payne-Martin Category I Forearm Skin Tear from Adhesive Tape.               Payne-Martin Category II Forearm Skin Tear from Adhesive Tape.
Pictures above and below are reprinted from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System
PA-PSRS Patient Safety Advisory, Vol. 3, No. 3--September 2006 - Copyright 2006 by the Patient Safety Authority
 

1. Totally eliminates painful removal of tape due to Skin Tears and/or Hair Loss.  This is especially true with concern to elderly and diabetic patients, although it effects everyone.
2. Totally eliminates Allergic Tape Reactions or Sensitivities.
3. Totally eliminates a potential source of entry through skin tears by various Skin Borne Pathogens like MRSA.
4. Allows skin to breath under the platform reducing potential for surface deterioration.
5. Stable yet flexible platform for I.V. tubing - allowing for greater range of motion, peace of mind and comfort of the forearm, wrist and hand.
6. I.V. Safety Cuff is "simply the most intelligent, and caring way to secure an I.V. line - period!" 
   As you will see for yourself, I.V. Safety Cuff should be on every I.V. cart as a minimum standard of care practice.
7. Upgrades level of patient care and comfort.

 A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

Is There Even A Choice?

Payne-Martin Category III Forearm Skin Tear from Adhesive Tape.
An I.V. Safety Cuff Would Have Prevented This From Occurring.

Facts:
1.  Malone and colleagues estimate at least 1.5 million skin tears occur each year
in institutionalized elderly care alone.  This does not include everyone else in hospitals, hospices or clinics; plus the fact that this is greatly under-reported, the numbers are certainly much, much higher.

2.  Individual facilities have reported skin tear prevalence rates ranging from 14-24%!
(Theses numbers alone lead one to speculate the numbers are far greater than what's reported.)

3.  Skin Tears are obviously very painful - it hurts to have your skin ripped off.

4.  Skin Tears may lead to serious cases of infection like MRSA.

5.  Skin Tears increase caregiver time and facility costs.

6.  Believe it or not, no one has offered a viable functional alternative... until now.
And you really have to wonder why?!?

We suspect it's the "good 'ol boy network" of not "tattle-tailing" on each others mistakes.
Most of these injuries are a result of being on a Med-Surg floor, where a lot of this tape is placed & originates, but later on, is not removed by the people who placed it.  Removal comes later, on the "floor", where most of the skin tearing actually occurs. 

In actuality, the people who placed this tape may not even know that they are causing great harm!  Colleagues seem to be afraid to let them know there is a problem, simply because they want to be "team players" and not rock the boat.  Unfortunately... it is sadly at the patients expense.

"Skin Tears from I.V. Line Tape on the forearms are iatrogenic or nosocomial (hospital, etc. acquired).  Now there are no more excuses for this to ever happen again... to anyone."
5-26-08 Official Launch Date

U.S. & International Patents Pending
I.V. Safety Cuff is a Trademark of Progressive Doctors, LLC