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TanniRae
PICC dressing changes

Isn't it a standard of care to change a PICC dsg the DAY FOLLOWING INSERTION and then every 7 days and PRN?  I know that used to be done at my facility, but it is not being done now.  They site the CDC recommendation to change only every 7 days and PRN.  I am away from my library of information, so I would appreciate you experts out there helping me!  Thank you!!

lynncrni
The need to change the

The need to change the dressing on a PICC is derived from the old methods of insertion where the PICC left in the vein was much smaller than the puncture site from the introducer. This lead to bleeding around the site for a while, thus the need to remove the bloody dressing. Newer methods of insertion do not result in this bleeding, so there is no need to change a clean dressing within 24 hours. This 24 hr change has never been written as a standard of practice. The standard is to change the dressing any time when it is wet, dirty or non-adherent. Otherwise a transparent membrane dressing is changed at least every 7 days and a tape and gauze dressing is changed every 48 hours. Lynn

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

Peachezrn
Support for this

Lynn,

    Is there any clinical data to support your answer?  Anything published that I can take to my meetings that would help support changing our policy from 24hrs to 7 days after insertion?  Thanks

 

~Stacy Ellis RN, BSW

SkyRidge Medical Center PICC team/ Infusion Center

~Stacy Ellis RN, BSW

lynncrni
The INS standards and CDC

The INS standards and CDC guidelines have always stated that a dressing must be changed when it is wet, dirty or non-adherent. Blood under the dressing means a dirty and wet dressing. If clean, it does not need to be changed. You would need internal evidence to determine if your dressings are getting bloody from drainage within 24 hours after insertion. This is related to technique, size of introducers, skill level, patient factors, etc. This is where internal data creates your evidence to follow the national documents. Lynn

Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI

Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.

PO Box 10

Milner, GA 30257

Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com

Office Phone 770-358-7861

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