Change Dressing on a PICC Line
Your child or spouse is finally released from the hospital, but she still needs an IV. A PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) is a soft plastic tube that lasts much longer than the standard IV because the tip goes in a very large vein just above the heart. Caring for the PICC at home is not hard, but it must remain absolutely sterile. Change the dressing once a week or anytime it gets wet, loose or dirty.
Instructions
Remove Old Dressing
1. Clean your work surface. Wipe with alcohol preps or soap and water. Wood is bacteria's happy place. It you must use a wooden surface, place aluminum foil or plastic wrap over the work area.
2. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds. Rinse and dry with a paper towel.
3. Rub an alcohol prep pad over the tape and dressing.
4. Carefully remove all of the tape holding down the dressing.
5. Hold the hub of the PICC line down on the arm. This is very important so you do not accidentally pull the line out. Loosen the dressing around the edges. Pull very gently and slowly toward the insertion site.
6. Examine the skin and site. Look for swelling, redness, pus, pain, torn skin, leaking fluid or more of the tube sticking out of the skin than before. If any of these are present, call your contact person right away, or cover the site with clean gauze and go immediately to the Emergency Room.
Put On New Dressing
7. Wash your hands again.
8. Open the dressing change kit. The hospital will have provided you with several. Everything inside is sterile. Do not attempt to collect the items on your own as it will not meet the same criteria of sterilization. Open the kit at the corners. Even though your hands are clean do not touch anything until you get your gloves on.
9. Put your sterile gloves on. The change kit is packed in a way that the items you need are put in order. The gloves are on top. However you don't just slip them on. Touching only the turned up inside cuff of your right hand glove, slip your hand into it. Put the second glove on. Once your gloves are on, only touch things that are on the inside of the kit. Don't even touch the outside packaging of the kit. Be aware of where your hands are at all times. Don't rest your hand or arm on anything.
10. Take the Chloraprep stick out of the change kit. Squeeze the sides to break the ampule. Some kits have alcohol and betadine instead of a chloraprep stick. Clean the area in circular motion starting at the insertion site moving out.
11. Let the skin dry for 30 seconds. Never blow on the area or fan it to dry faster. Place a BioPatch disk dressing on the skin around the PIIC line, grid side up and the foam side next to the skin. Place it so the slit is lined up with the tubing. Cover the patch and insertion site with the clear dressing.
12. Criss-cross the tape onto the clear dressing to hold it securely in place.
13. Throw away the used supplies in the trash. Wash your hands.
Tags: your hands, insertion site, Wash your, Wash your hands, Change Dressing, clear dressing, site with
