Superbugs thwarted by MRSA-resistant patient wristbands

Zebra Technologies, has recently added two new infant wristbands to its offering, both with the latest antibacterial coating. The coating also protects the Z-Band wristbands from Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, three leading causes of hospital infections. As a global leader in delivering on-demand specialty printing solutions for the healthcare industry, Zebra Technologies provides thermal bar code label and receipt printers and supplies, plastic card printers, RFID smart label printer/encoders, certified smart media, and digital photo printers.

"Barcoded patient identification wristbands provide the necessary foundation for preventing medical errors by making accurate patient information available at the point of care and enabling caregivers to confirm a correct match between the patient and the treatment provided," said Aileen McHugh, Healthcare Manager, Zebra Technologies EMEA. "With Zebra's antimicrobial wristband coating, hospitals can extend these benefits further by eliminating dangerous, infection causing bacteria from the wristbands."

According to a company note, results of independent lab tests at Northland Laboratories in the US show Zebra's patent-pending antimicrobial wristband coating effectively resists methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Type II, Type III and Type IV, making it even more difficult for MRSA and other superbugs to spread around a hospital.

The Z-Band antimicrobial-coated wristbands, which are available in infant, paediatric and adult sizes, will continue to feature a topcoat layer that resists alcohol, water, foams, soaps and blood. The Z-Band Direct products feature a tab closure that enhances the ease of use, comfort and security of the wristbands. Zebra's Z-Band QuickClip wristbands feature clips available in seven colours for use when colour coding to communicate patient risk factors or special needs.

The infant version of the Z-Band QuickClip wristband, a premium direct thermal band that provides ID verification at the point of care, will feature the same durable clip closure and antimicrobial coating as the adult version and offers six options for color coding. In addition, Zebra's new Infant Foam Wristband will feature comfortable, soft foam with a hook and loop Velcro closure.

"Establishing a secure patient identification solution for infants is a top priority for hospitals. They not only need to ensure the privacy and accuracy of patient information, but also provide wristbands that are comfortable, durable and can be easily scanned throughout the duration of the patient's stay," said McHugh. "The introduction of our two new infant wristbands reinforces Zebra's commitment to providing healthcare customers with cost-effective, efficient solutions for meeting their patient safety goals."