1. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Apply non-sterile gloves and carefully remove the soiled dressing.
2. Assess the exit site for redness, swelling, drainage or tenderness.
3. Cleanse the exit site with the clean washcloth and antimicrobial solution/soap. Always use running water in the shower, bathtub or at the sink.
4. Completely rinse all soap from the exit site with a clean washcloth.
5. Dry the area with a clean towel.
6. Cover the exit site with Band Aid.
7. Coil the catheter tubing and tape to the chest.
8. Label dressing with nurses initials, time and date dressing is changed
Have done this for years without problems.
Pat Deisch
"Bartholomew , Jerry A (SPO)" wrote:
I have a young nurse as a patient who, after three PICC line placements, now has a Hickman line. We had requested an implanted port, but they decided on the Hickman because she suffers from chronic folliculitis. She is extremely sensitive to everything. Every type of hypoallergenic dressing has been tried, including the IV3000, Sorbaview 2000, Duoderm, Hypafix tape, you name it. We are currently using the IV3000, which did well for the first three weeks, but now the skin beneath it is becoming reddened, and burns when cleaned with alcohol.
Since this is a cuffed, tunneled line, I am wondering whether or not it might be better in her case to leave the site open to air. She is an outpatient, so she's not around the constellation of killer pathogens that inpatients face. Has anyone else done this?
Jerry Bartholomew RN BSN CRNI
Vascular Access Specialist
Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Spokane, Washington
