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Abstract
This article looks at Seton Scholl Continence Care's Simpla Trident T2 leg bag with the new advanced lever-action tap which has recently won the Independent Living Design Award. This easy-to-use lever-action tap has a simple, positive action which allows more independence and less intervention from carers. The lever-action tap enables the patient with limited hand coordination or poor finger/thumb dexterity to operate It effectively. The tap is smooth to the touch and the comers have been rounded to reduce any sharpness. The Simpla Trident T1 and T2 bags have the protected sample port to allow safe urine sampling without the need to break the system.
Nurses have a responsibility to look at evidence-based practice when deciding which products to allocate to their patients. With the research and development of new products and their increased availability within the health service, it is important that nurses are aware of exactly what is available to ensure the highest standard of care for their patients.
HISTORY
In the past, decisions about the choice of suitable leg bags for catheterized patients, or whether patients should wear a sheath-type appliance, were made by whoever inserted the catheter or applied the sheath. There was little, if any, discussion with patients as to whether it was appropriate for them to operate the tap-emptying device.
At ward level decisions tended to be based on whatever was available from the surgical supply cupboard -- sometimes only night drainage bags were available - and the nurse assumed responsibility for emptying the bag and monitoring urine output. At community level nurses utilized whichever bag they were used to providing. Leg bags were looked upon as a mere collection device necessary for catheter or sheath drainage systems. In some cases, when the patient was got out of bed in the morning the night bag was detached from the catheter before application of a leg bag. This practice has now been replaced by the link system which was developed by Simpla in the early 1980s. The aim was to prevent system breakdown between catheter and bag and in turn to prevent infection.
FABRIC BACKING
Some healthcare professionals have been reluctant to use fabric-backed bags because they believe that this adds to the risk of infection. However, there...