15 Points to Consider
Selecting the Right Wristbands - a Positive Step toward Patient Safety

As you automate clinical processes and move to electronic medical records, there is a tremendous opportunity to improve patient safety and the quality of care.  However, to ensure success, these programs must be built on a solid foundation of positive patient identification. 

The #1 National Patient Safety Goal
The Joint Commission certainly agrees – it made accurate patient identification its number one National Patient Safety Goal for 2008.  And that’s where technology makes a significant contribution.  By adding bar codes and photos to patient wristbands and documents, you can establish positive identification at the point of care and assure all diagnostics, treatments and medications administered during a patient’s stay are associated with the right patient.

The Devil is in the Details
However, as with any implementation, the devil is in the details.  Automating a poor process will only accelerate errors and heighten risk.   Moreover, selecting the wrong style wristband can undermine efforts to improve patient safety.  The wristband must not only accommodate your technology requirements, but also must meet special clinical requirements while optimizing patient comfort.   
 
We consulted with Molly Procuniar, BSN-RN, BA, FF, who has worked as a nurse in an emergency department, as well as a neuro nurse in a primary stroke center with a Level I trauma rating.  She offers this guidance in selecting wristbands.

Be Cognizant of the Wristband Material

1. Select a material that will withstand the extremes of the clinical environment – moisture from bathing and treatments, exposure to temperatures.   
2. Beware of porous materials that might absorb contaminants or germs.
3. Select a material that is latex-free and generally hypo-allergenic.
4. Test the material to assure it’s soft and not likely to irritate or cut a patient.

Give Careful Thought to Wristband Design

1. Be sure the wristband is simple to apply to avoid wasting time or disturbing the patient unnecessarily.
2. Avoid wristbands with fold-over laminates that are difficult to align. When porous materials are left exposed, they absorb moisture and harbor germs, such as MRSA.
3. Examine design and closures to assure they won’t poke or irritate sensitive skin.
4. Look for flexible designs that comfortably identify patients of all shapes and sizes. This includes the smallest neo-natal or emaciated adult patient to bariatric or larger pediatric patients where band size must be carefully regarded.  Consider customized designs to accommodate unique requirements.
5. Consider using a wristband design with a security feature to help assure the wristbands stay on patients for the entire length of their stays and to discourage attempts to switch identity.

Consider Technology Requirements

1. Be sure sizes and designs accommodate bar codes and photos.
2. Select a material that assures legible printing and easy scanning.
3. Be sure the design of the wristband doesn’t obscure printing.
4. Test the imprinted bar codes and images to assure they are impervious to fluids and temperature change.
5. Qualify wristbands to assure they run through output devices trouble-free.

Involve your Clinicians, Partner with your Vendor
Our expert, Molly Procuniar, also urged hospitals to involve clinicians, registration staff and their wristband vendors early on when they first start planning their patient identification program. “They’re your most valuable resources,” she said.  “Your clinicians and registration staff understand the environment and the processes, so they can alert you to any special challenges they foresee.”

She also recommends that hospitals work with wristband vendors that have both clinical and technology experience. “The right vendor will guide you in developing a wristband program to address important system and clinical issues that impact positive identification, scan-ability, information security and ease of use, as well as patient safety and comfort,” she concluded. 

For assistance in selecting wristbands to support your patient identification program, and help in migrating to technology-driven solutions, contact us now.  Our team of seasoned healthcare specialists will work to address all of your concerns.