Anyone with Temporary Vascular Catheter Experience?

[GeorgeD1]

Hi everyone!

Thanks for all your help!

I'm a student in Los Angeles trying to write a midterm paper on temporary vascular catheters in Intensive Care Units. To do this, I must ask nurses a couple questions that I haven't been able to find answers online for.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

The questions are the following:

1- How many catheters do you replace a day?

2- Why do you replace catheters so often?

3- I understand that catheters get infected regularly, so why do you think they get infected so often? What procedures do you use to prevent catheter infections?

Thanks again for all your help!

George D

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

You'll have to clarify what you mean by "temporary vascular catheters". I've never heard of the term used except for maybe referring to temporary vascular access catheters for hemodialysis - those are not placed or replaced by RN's. Are you referring to peripheral intravenous access catheters called PIV's in many institutions? I find it hard to believe that there isn't a wealth of information online regarding their use, safety, and infection risk.

[Flatline, BSN, RN]

You'll have to clarify what you mean by "temporary vascular catheters". I've never heard of the term used except for maybe referring to temporary vascular access catheters for hemodialysis - those are not placed or replaced by RN's. Are you referring to peripheral intravenous access catheters called PIV's in many institutions? I find it hard to believe that there isn't a wealth of information online regarding their use, safety, and infection risk.

You would be surprised, there is very little research into peripheral IVs. Some research regarding securement, some regarding the rates and causes of failure, and only a couple that even mention the possibility of infections arising from peripheral IVs.

Lynn Hadaway in 2012 wrote an article about the infection rate and has been the only vocal person I have heard on the topic.

[EllaBella1, BSN]

The only time I've really heard something referred to as a vascath is a temporary hemodialysis catheter. The answers to your questions are we usually don't replace any in a day. We don't replace them at all unless they aren't working for some reason (i.e. positional, occluded and failed TPA/cathflo). Also, RNs don't replace them at all- we assist with placement being performed by a MD or ARNP. They don't get infected often as long as proper care is followed and sterile technique is maintained during insertion/line care. If they do have frequent line infections then that unit needs to do a systematic analysis on why they are getting so many CLABSIs.