FERNDALE, Mich. (March 30, 2026) — Eloquest Healthcare has published a new analysis of the recently released Clinical Practice Guidelines for Adults from the Association for Vascular Access (AVA), spotlighting updated recommendations on skin integrity, dressing durability, and device securement in adult vascular access care.
 

The blog, "Securement Matters: A Closer Look at AVA’s Clinical Practice Guidelines Related to Skin, Dressing Integrity, and Securement,” examines Section 5 of the 2026 guidelines, which focuses on the management of skin, dressings and securement as a central strategy for reducing complications such as catheter-associated skin impairment (CASI), medical adhesive-related skin injury (MARSI), catheter migration, and therapy interruption.

AVA’s new guidance provides a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for clinicians who insert and manage vascular access devices across care settings. Chapter 5.4 emphasizes proactive assessment, standardized dressing change intervals, and individualized securement strategies.
 

“These guidelines represent a pivotal moment for vascular access practice,” said Michelle (Mickey) Hawes, DNP, CRNI, VA-BC, ACRP-CP, editor for the AVA Clinical Practice Guidelines. “For the first time, AVA has consolidated the evidence into a unified, prevention-focused resource. The emphasis on routine skin assessment, dressing integrity, and thoughtful securement selection reflects what we know: upstream decisions directly influence downstream outcomes.”
 

Chapter 5.4 calls for structured skin inspection during every vascular access assessment, documentation of trends over time, and early intervention when inflammation, weeping, granulation tissue or breakdown is observed. Transparent dressings should be changed every seven days unless compromised, reinforcing consistency as a safeguard against infection risk.
 

Evidence cited in the AVA guidelines and related literature demonstrates that the appropriate use of an adhesive enhancer, such as gum mastic liquid adhesive, can significantly improve dressing integrity and reduce dressing failure, a known risk factor for catheter-related bloodstream infections (CLABSI).

“Vascular access is the gateway to nearly all healthcare,” said Michelle DeVries, MPH, CIC, VA-BC, CPHQ, AL-CIP, FAPIC Guideline Governance Group member and AVA Board Liason. “When we focus only on downstream outcomes like CLABSI, we miss the upstream process failures that contribute to harm. In my own hospital, we learned that dressing integrity is not a small detail. When dressings fail early, we see increased nursing workload, skin injury, and infection risk. By addressing dressing adherence proactively, we were able to improve patient safety.”

The guidelines further recommend individualized securement strategies based on patient-specific factors, including skin condition, mobility, anatomy, and anticipated dwell time. In appropriate cases, subcutaneous anchor securement systems (SASS) may improve device stability without relying solely on adhesives.

“Prevention is not a single intervention; it’s a coordinated strategy,” Hawes added. “When clinicians apply consistent assessment, protect skin integrity, and select securement methods based on patient risk, they elevate the reliability of vascular access care.”

Eloquest Healthcare’s blog encourages clinicians and healthcare leaders to review the full AVA Clinical Practice Guidelines and align institutional protocols with these evidence-based recommendations.

The AVA Clinical Practice Guidelines are available to AVA members and for purchase through the Association for Vascular Access. 

As a Bronze Level Partner of the AVA Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG), Eloquest Healthcare is proud to support the advancement of evidence-based vascular access practice.

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