PICC Dressing Changes

lllliv · Dec 5, 2003

our policy is every 5 days and prn.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Dec 5, 2003

Our policy is every 7 days by a nurse who has been checked off on the proper procedure.

iceNICUnurse · Dec 5, 2003

We change it every 3rd day.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2003

We only change them PRN when the Tegaderm dressing is starting to peel off. If it's occlusive, we don't touch it!!!

neominder · Jun 11, 2004

we used to do only prn changes when the dressing became non-occlusive. now they are q monday and prn. this was as an attempt to lower infection rate. it hasn't helped thus far, and we are having more problems with the lines being pulled back and becoming peripheral. when the changes were prn they were done by the pcvc(picc) team...now we are all trained to do the dressing changes ourselves.

AllyZ · Jun 11, 2004

We change ours prn by only nurses certified for the procedure. I also have a question on a similar subject. What is the protocol for changing lines for central lines. To change our lipids, tpn, med lines we gown, glove, cap and mask. Does anyone else do this??

Ally

Repat · Jun 11, 2004

We change them after 24 hours, and then once a week.

nurseiam · Jun 14, 2004

We also have a high infection rate. We change ours within 12 hours of the 24 hours xray then PRN. We change our lines every 72 hours keeping everything sterile but not with all the garb! We also draw from our PICC lines but if our infection rate does not decrease that will come to a stop!!

sfsn · Jun 16, 2004

We change the dressings prn only, and this can only be done by specially trained nurses. We do not wear gowns, etc., when changing tubing for central lines. We don't draw from PICC lines either. I didn't know you could!

Repat · Jun 16, 2004

We do draw from them, but we just got a note from the IV team not to test for blood return each time we flush them because it deposits a layer of protein which then causes the line to clot off.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Jun 16, 2004

We change ours PRN, usually with one of the NNP's. We don't gown to change over CVL's, only full garb for dressings if the kid is on a warmer.

We don't draw from the PICC's anymore...only the docs and NNP's will...we have had way too many clot and get infected.

I'm kinda of glad to hear we aren't the only ones with a high infection rate in our piccs...I wonder why that is? They always seem to grow something :uhoh21: