PICCLines

Peripheral Vascular Harm Named a 2021 Top Patient Safety Concern by ECRI

Peripheral Vascular Harm Named a 2021 Top Patient Safety Concern by ECRI

ECRI: Peripheral Vascular Harm is a Top Patient Safety Concern It is not surprising that the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) has listed peripheral vascular harm as one of ten top patient safety concerns for 2021.³ Vascular access complications not only cause extended patient time in hospitals and antibiotic treatments but can result in death if such interventions are unsuccessful.³ With PIVCs being the most commonly used invasive device in hospitals, a significant patient population is susceptible to such risks.³ This issue cannot be overstated–up to...

The Benefits of Using Bamboo in PICCsox®

The Benefits of Using Bamboo in PICCsox®

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Comparing PICC with short peripheral IV catheter for chemotherapy

Comparing PICC with short peripheral IV catheter for chemotherapy

"Routine PICC insertion in terminally ill cancer patients was comparable in safety and efficacy and resulted in superior satisfaction compared with usual IV access" Park et al (2020). Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether routine insertion of PICC at admission to a hospice-palliative care (HPC) unit is acceptable in terms of safety and efficacy. Furthermore, whether it results in superior patient satisfaction compared to usual IV access. Materials and methods: Terminally ill cancer patients were randomly assigned to two arms. 1) Routine...

PICCsox®

WHAT ARE PICCsox® AND WHY SHOULD YOU USE THEM

WHAT ARE PICCsox® AND WHY SHOULD YOU USE THEM PICC line safety PICC lines are mainly inserted in a medium-sized vein in the patient’s arm to provide access for intravenous treatments like chemotherapy or extended antibiotic therapy and are often in place for several weeks or months. From the insertion site, the PICC is threaded through various, increasing sized veins into the largest central vein (usually the Superior Vena Cava) leading to the right atrium of the heart. It’s generally used to give medications or liquid nutrition....

PICC dislodgement is a safety risk to patients

Impact and Safety Associated with Accidental Dislodgement of Vascular Access Devices: A Survey of Professions, Settings, and Devices

Abstract Background Dislodgement rates with intravenous catheters are reported at 1.8%-24% events per year resulting in failed access, interrupted treatment, and greater resource consumption with catheter replacement. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the perceptions of frequency, impact, contributing factors, and safety issues from accidental dislodgement affecting intravenous (IV) devices as reported by healthcare clinicians. Methodology A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted via a voluntary online web-based survey of clinicians. Subjects were divided as those actively working in a clinical healthcare setting and those no longer active. Analysis...

PICC lines among cancer patients

Attitudes towards PICC lines among cancer patients

‘Some patients (Pat 2, 4, 9, 17) revealed that they felt uncomfortable when holding their children and while practicing sports. This unease was related not only to the physical presence of the device but also to the need of having to reflect on whether they could practice the activity or if it entailed a risk to the catheter—whether these activities were related to leisure, work, household, or childminding duties’ p 445 ‘Three patients (Pat 7, 10, 11) stated that the aesthetic aspects of using the...

Lorna Cook and Julie Adams

Coronavirus pandemic leads to more at-home cancer treatments

Read the original article on The New Daily website. Seven years ago, Lorna Cook and Julie Adams started a business out of Perth called chemo@home, allowing cancer patients – and people with compromised immune systems – to be treated at home by specialty nurses instead of going to hospital. “When treated at home, they have a 30 per cent less risk of infection,” Ms Cook told The New Daily. The business has won a dozen awards, and were treating about 500 patients a month nationally – but frustrated that...

Peripheral intravenous (IV) device management

Peripheral intravenous (IV) device management – Clinical Guidelines

Introduction Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) are the most commonly used intravenous device in hospitalised patients. They are primarily used for therapeutic purposes such as administration of medications, fluids and/or blood products as well as blood sampling. Aim The aim of this guideline is to provide an outline of the ongoing maintenance and management of the PIVC for patients in hospital, outpatient, and home healthcare settings. For information related to insertion of PIVC, please refer to intravenous access guideline . Nurses who are deemed competent in IV insertion could continue...

Ten Tips for dressing and securement of IV device wounds

10 Tips for dressing and securement of IV device wounds

Posted by Claire Rickard, Amanda Ullman, Tricia Kleidon, Nicole Marsh on 13 June 2017 10 Tips for dressing and securement of IV device wounds Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal 2017;24(10):32-34. Reprinted with permission of the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation. Nurses insert and care for more than two billion intravascular (IV) devices globally each year. A wound is created for each IV insertion, and the wound cannot heal while the IV remains. Usually, millions of microorganisms live on our skin and cause no harm. However, insertion of an...