Blood cultures from a PICC

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

So I have a resident who has been on IV vanco through a single lumen PICC. Her last dose of vanco is tonight. The ID doc wants us to get blood cultures X2....a peripheral draw and a draw through the PICC. IF there is no growth, we can remove the PICC.

Here's the thing....we NEVER draw anything off a single lumen PICC. She's already had to have cath flo once. If we draw off the PICC, screw up the line, and the blood cultures are positive, she'll need a new line put in.

NP says use the PICC....I say no...do blood cultures x 2 peripheral draws.

Any comments?

[Wuzzie]

Why would drawing blood from a PICC be the cause of the line being “screwed up”. We draw off PICCs all the time. If they are properly flushed it shouldn’t be an issue. Have you experienced a problem?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I’ve worked in 15 different buildings. No one draws off a single lumen PICC. And, yes, it’s clotted off once already

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Hmm. I will def go and check our P and P but we do draws off of the single lumens. In this case, maybe they are looking at the iv as the source?

[Wuzzie]

I’m still unsure as to how you are equating drawing blood with messing up the line. Trying to help, really I am. We only occasionally have lines truly clot. Usually they develop a fibrin tail/sheath which generally just happens regardless of how the line is used.