Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions

Paper Info
Page count 3
Word count 856
Read time 4 min
Topic Health
Type Essay
Language 🇺🇸 US

Introduction

A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line is “a soft plastic tube that allows clients in a hospital to receive fluids and medicines” (Pedreira, 2015, p. 257). An x-ray can be done to ensure the PICC line is inserted in the required place. The PICC line insertion procedures cause little or no discomfort. These PICC lines are embraced by both patients and caregivers because they improve healthcare delivery and reduce chances of infection. However, some risks might occur after the line has been inserted. For example, the line can dislocate when the patient coughs or vomits (Chopra, O’Horo, Rogers, Maki, & Safdar, 2013).

Thrombosis and inflammation (also called phlebitis) might also occur. Infections can occur at the insertion site. Some of these complications have been recorded at Kendall Regional Medical Center. This presentation offers powerful ideas that can be used by nurses to prevent complications and minimize PICC line reinsertions.

Prevention of Complications

Nurses

Healthcare practitioners should be ready to address the problems facing their clients. At Kendall Regional Medical Center, nurses can be equipped with adequate skills in order to deal with complications and PICC line reinsertions. The facility should begin by credentialing nurses and caregivers. This approach will ensure such professionals can place PICCs properly and take care of the patients. Hygiene should also be taken seriously by healthcare workers. They should wash their hands with antiseptic soap. Complications can also be prevented by taking the necessary precautions. For instance, they should wear gloves, surgical gowns, and caps (Lyons & Phalen, 2014).

Nurses should “be aware of the catheter insertion procedures” (Pedreira, 2015, p. 259). The professionals should always follow the presented PICC insertion checklist. Breaches should be identified frequently. The practitioners should change or clean needless connectors frequently. The PICC lines should be removed whenever an alternative drug or fluid delivery method is identified (Konjevic et al., 2015). Collaboration with other professionals and focus on insertion guidelines can prevent PICC line complications. These measures will ensure Kendall Regional Medical Center does not record increased PICC lines complications.

Patients

Kendall Regional Medical Center can implement a powerful training program for patients receiving fluids or drugs using PICC lines. The program can guide patents to engage in evidence-based practices. For instance, the patients will inspect their PICC line sites. They should ensure every site is kept clean and dry (Lyons & Phalen, 2014). Occlusion should be monitored frequently. Clamps or kinks on the PICC line should be reported to the nurses immediately. Any pain or swelling should be reported in a timely manner. Signs of air embolism such as coughing and health palpations should be reported immediately. Nurses should be informed about any suspected migration or dislodgement of the PICC line. Patients should also ensure their catheters are not moved or disturbed. The lines can be flushed using heparin to prevent clot formation.

Minimizing PICC Line Reinsertions

Experts believe strongly that PICC lines are useful in healthcare delivery because they result in minimal complications. Reinsertions can be done whenever the lines are dislodged. However, various evidence-based practices have been proposed to prevent PICC line reinsertions (Johann et al., 2012). The first approach towards achieving this goal is by assessing every hospitalized patient. This kind of assessment will ensure PICCs are used adequately. This means that PICCs might not be appropriate for every admitted patient (Chopra et al., 2013). Before inserting the PICC line, nurses should consider every complication or contraindication. The practice will ensure the health needs of the identified patients are met.

Nurses inserting PICC lines should follow the outlined guidelines. The approach will minimize complications and reduce chances of reinsertions. The selected catheters should be able to meet the targeted healthcare need. Complications identified during the insertion process should be monitored and addressed appropriately (Konjevic et al., 2015). These practices should be embraced by nurses at Kendall Regional Medical Center. This strategy will ensure most of the inserted PICC lines do not result in complications. The nurses in the institution should be “educated in site care, device use, and catheter maintenance” (Chopra et al., 2013, 912).

This kind of knowledge will make it easier for the practitioners to provide evidence-based care to their patients receiving various fluids or drugs through the use of PICC lines. They should be guided to identify and recognize complications. The professionals should offer adequate care and support to their patients. They should liaise with the patients throughout the healthcare delivery process. These evidence-based practices will minimize chances of reinsertions.

Concluding Remarks

When PICC lines are inserted in a professional manner, it becomes possible for patients to receive quality health care (Johann et al., 2012). Reinsertions can be caused by a number of factors such as poor location of sites, ineffective device use, or infections (Chopra et al., 2013). That being the case, the nurses at Kendall Regional Medical Center should be aware of these gaps because they can result in PICC line reinsertions. They should form a Central Line Management Team to respond to every PICC issue before it gets out of hand. These ideas will definitely prevent complications and PICC line reinsertions in the healthcare facility.

References

Chopra, V., O’Horo, J., Rogers, M., Maki, D., & Safdar, N. (2013). The risk of bloodstream infection associated with peripherally inserted central catheters compared with central venous catheters in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 34(9), 908-918.

Johann, D., Lazzari, L., Pedrolo, E., Mingorance, P., de Almeida, T., & Danski, M. (2012). Peripherally inserted central catheter care in neonates: An integrative literature review. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 46(6), 1502-1510.

Konjevic, S., Djukic, D., Stanimirovic, B., Blagojevic, A., Bobic., & Banja, B. (2015). Peripherally inserted central catheter complications in neonates: Our experiences. Signa Vitae, 10(1), 16-19.

Lyons, M., & Phalen, G. (2014). A randomized controlled comparison of flushing protocols in home care patients with peripherally inserted central catheters. Journal of Infusion Nursing, 37(1), 270-281.

Pedreira, M. (2015). Obstruction of peripherally inserted central catheters in newborns: Prevention is the best intervention. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 33(3), 256-257.

Cite this paper

Reference

EssaysInCollege. (2022, September 15). Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions. Retrieved from https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/

Reference

EssaysInCollege. (2022, September 15). Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/

Work Cited

"Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." EssaysInCollege, 15 Sept. 2022, essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.

References

EssaysInCollege. (2022) 'Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions'. 15 September.

References

EssaysInCollege. 2022. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.

1. EssaysInCollege. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.


Bibliography


EssaysInCollege. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.

References

EssaysInCollege. 2022. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.

1. EssaysInCollege. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.


Bibliography


EssaysInCollege. "Prevention of Complications and PICC Line Reinsertions." September 15, 2022. https://essaysincollege.com/prevention-of-complications-and-picc-line-reinsertions/.