Last month we reported on a very simple but effective tool that helps nurses safely and comfortably work with small and rigid objects like Luer-Loks and glass ampules. Since then the MedeGrip has been registered as a Class 1 – FDA device for use with other medical devices, and Access Scientific has integrated it as part of the POWERWAND Maximum Barrier Kit.
From the announcement:
Invented by nurse Matthew Ostroff, RN, VA-BC, CEN, a PICC line specialist, MedeGrip recently received FDA clearance as a Class 1 device. Class 1 covers low-risk devices such as elastic bandages, examination gloves, and hand-held surgical instruments.
The device is an H-shaped gripping aid made of flexible foam. The two opposing surfaces of the device help nurses grip objects more effectively and safely.
MedeGrip can also protect nurses from sharps injuries when breaking glass ampules, which cause roughly one-quarter of sharps injuries in hospitals. Designed to be an improvement over gauze and the new standard of care and personal protection whenever glass ampules are used, it is the only device that completely protects nurses’ hands from touching the ampule.
Press release: MedeGrip Gripping Device for Nurses To Be Displayed at INS Meeting
Product page: MedeGrip; POWERWAND
Flashback: MedeGrip to Make Work With Central Lines, Ampules, Other Devices Easier and Safer