Handling a central venous line port

[ddexter]

I have a few doubts lurking in my mind regarding the handling a CV line port during IV administration for which I could not find satisfactory/consistent answers by searching. Hence I'm asking them here.

1. Is hand hygiene and a 'no touch technique' of the ports sufficient or is a sterile glove mandatory prior to every use of the port?
   
2. Is cleaning of the ports with an alcohol/chlorhexidine based antiseptic solution mandatory before every use of the port?
   
3. How can the cap (which has been removed from the port for an IV infusion) of the CV line port kept sterile till the IV infusion gets completed? Is it safe to use it again or a new cap is required after each infusion?
   
4. Is it the usual practice everywhere to have the individual lines (lumens) of the CV line (for example the three lines of a triple lumen catheter) 'dressed' with a sterile gauze pack? Not doing so makes the lumens gets separated in different directions and sometimes they get contaminated by reaching unsterile areas like the hairy chest.
   

[nursej22, MSN, RN]

Thank you the reply. Did I say I was new? I feel like you are scolding me for trying to verify what is best practice and the reasoning.

The caps that we have in our campus lab are old, donated ones not in the original packaging, thus no instructions for use. I have contacted the hospital,no answer . yet.

i have instructions for use online, finally. For what's it worth, the Clave cap has .06 mL residual volume and the manufacturer does recommend priming it with saline. They also recommend checking facility policy, which I waiting for.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Depending on the band/type of clave, the volume may vary. Out of habit, many of us flush it when changing it. Usually when we change the clave, we will also be flushing the line/testing patency, thus attaching a flush and using a small amt to flush the clave is no real issue. As far as doing it when changing the tubing, some attach the clave to the end of the tubing and prime the line with it attached. It takes very little time.

[Asystole RN]

Thank you the reply. Did I say I was new? I feel like you are scolding me for trying to verify what is best practice and the reasoning.

The caps that we have in our campus lab are old, donated ones not in the original packaging, thus no instructions for use. I have contacted the hospital,no answer . yet.

i have instructions for use online, finally. For what's it worth, the Clave cap has .06 mL residual volume and the manufacturer does recommend priming it with saline. They also recommend checking facility policy, which I waiting for.

I apologize, I did not mean to sound as though I scolding you.