RE: dressing changes and protocol/procedures for DVT in PICC Arm

[Rinehart, Nancy]

Title: Message

-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Helen lazeration Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2006 3:19 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: dressing changes and protocol/procedures for DVT in PICC Arm Need some help with two items:     Just need an informal survey on how many facilities have their IV/PICC Teams do the routine dressing changes or if the nursing staff do the changes and how everyone feels about the nursing staff on the floors doing the routine dressing changes.  We do all the dressings on central lines in our hospital, except for Oncology whose nurses do their own.  this was started in our early years of iv team at request of medical staff.   it has continued due to  the low infection rate and to prevent inadvertent pulling of line.  however, our team consists of a PICC nurse, a central line nurse, 2 PIV nurses and a PRN so its a little  better than it was in terms of staffing.  (we are a 365 bed acute care facility).        Also, if there are any facilities out there who have physicians leave a PICC in place with a DVT and anti-coagulate the patient to try and break down the DVT?  If so, do you have a policy/procedure in place for this scenario that you would be willing to share?  this has been done here but  no p/p or any guidelines for doing it.    Helen Lazeration, CRNI Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Fairbanks, Alaska