I have always worked on IV Teams that did all the routine and PRN
CVC dressing changes. This follows what the CDC now recommends
also.
Anticoagulants such as heparin will not break down a DVT, merely
keep it from getting larger. There are no clinical studies that have
answered the question of the best way to treat a catheter-related DVT.
I suspect that catheter directed thrombolysis is the most effective
approach but no comparative studies yet that I am aware of. Lynn
At 11:18 AM -0900 2/25/06, Helen lazeration wrote:
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.
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?
Helen Lazeration, CRNI
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
Fairbanks, Alaska
--
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RNC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
