Picc Lines In Nursing

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) lines are soft thin flexible tubing that are used for several different treatments. This lines are used for treatments such as giving intravenous medications and blood test. These lines are much different than any other; however, due to the fact that they cannot be inserted by any nurse. These lines must be inserted by a nurse who has had specialty training or a doctor. Both of these people must use a machine called an ultrasound to find the veins in the upper arm. Just like any other line, the vein, when found, must be cleaned and covered with a sterile cloth so that infection can be prevented. Before the administration of the PICC line, the area where they are going to access the vein at is
Some of these reasons include prolonged IV treatments, IV access obtainable by less invasive and longer lasting methods, multiple accesses obtainable with one accesses line, TPN nutrition, Chemotherapy, and in the home setting for extended treatment. (What is a PICC Line and Why Do I need It? , 2013) As a nurse, we must take adequate care of the PICC line. To do this, we must make sure to change the sterile dressing when needed, assess the site daily for signs of infection and check the catheter for intactness. Another thing that needs to be done is to make sure the medication is compatible with the line. PICC lines have a tendency to clog, so as a nurse, we must make sure the medication is not going to do that to our lines. A nurse must also make sure to follow the five guidelines put down by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the CVC. These rules include performing hand hygiene before and after coming in contact with the line, making sure to select the site that would be at a lower risk for infection in the patient, cleaning the skin with disinfection such as chlorhexidine before insertion of the line, making sure to use the approximate sterile barriers while inserting and taking care of the line, and making sure to assess the catheter daily to make sure there are no infections and that the catheter is sill intact. (What is a PICC Line and Why Do I need It? , 2013) When teaching a patient about these devices make
This catheter is inserted into the neck. It typically is threated through the jugular veins into the vena cava leading the right atrium. (Central Venous Access Devices, n.d.) When they are done inserting the line they must take a chest x- ray insuring that the catheter is in the right spot, if the catheter is not in the right spot and medications are given it can be deadly to the patient. Due to the amount of time that the caterer can stay in place it is very helpful for patients who need long term IV medications or therapy. The lines are most commonly used for patients who need nutrition thought the paternal route, chemotherapy or other IV solutions that could be irrating to the veins, patients who need to be giving antibiotics or blood products, patients who need IV solutions that cannot be given thought the access of the peripheral because it is limited, and patients who need to be monitored for pressure in the central venous system (Central Venous Access Devices, n.d.). There are several things that can go wrong with a central line. Some of these things include, but are not limited to, infection, sepsis, pneumothorax, air embolism, catheter occlusion, thrombosis, drug precipitates, pinch off syndrome, catheter malposition, and the catheter can rupture (Central Venous Access Devices, n.d.). Nurses must take