PICC line removal, a sterile procedure?

[Anoetos]

I get that putting one in is a sterile procedure, but taking one out isn't, is it?

I was getting some weird info today and wanted to check.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

It's not when the pt decides to do it themselves. Ask me how I know. :)

Tee-hee. :)

Guess we were all talking about nurses doing these procedures.

But please share. Thanks.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

or when they decide to not take their IV pole with them and just disconnect the lines to go to the bathroom at 2 AM!! just after a 2 hours of dealing with a massivly febrile pt! I hate night duty!

[Aurora77]

Tee-hee. :)

Guess we were all talking about nurses doing these procedures.

But please share. Thanks.

I had a mildly confused pt the other night. He was A&O, but would repeat questions, that sort of thing. We were in and out of his room off and on except for when he was soundly asleep, or so he appeared. I went in to do a line draw and found the dressing off and line half out. I'm a new grad and absolutely freaked (on the inside). We ended up redressing it and getting an order for an xray. The best part is he had no idea he'd done it. He even asked me "why did I do that?" I wanted to tell him "just to scare the snot out of me." Good times on night shift.

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

I had a mildly confused pt the other night. He was A&O, but would repeat questions, that sort of thing. We were in and out of his room off and on except for when he was soundly asleep, or so he appeared. I went in to do a line draw and found the dressing off and line half out. I'm a new grad and absolutely freaked (on the inside). We ended up redressing it and getting an order for an xray. The best part is he had no idea he'd done it. He even asked me "why did I do that?" I wanted to tell him "just to scare the snot out of me." Good times on night shift.

Now me, I WOULD have said that.