Give catheters the green light

To avoid surgical patients accidentally going home with an IV catheter in place, All-Star Animal Hospital in Surprise, Ariz., uses a color-coded system. "While setting the IV catheter, we wrap a red piece of vet wrap over the bandage," says Samantha Lerma, CVT, hospital manager. After surgery, when a team member removes the catheter, he or she uses green vet wrap with a cotton ball as a bandage. "That way, when a patient's ready to leave, we know red means stop and green means go," Lerma says.