How do you handle the use of Cathflo in the outpatient sertting when you are trying to clear your chairs for the next patient and you have someone who needs
their catheter declotted? Do you send them home iwth the cathflo in place and let them remove it and flush. Or wait until they come i the next time?
Any other suggestions?
Thanks, Margy
We have frequently instilled cathflo and allowed the patient to go home. If they live close enough, we have them return the next day for aspiration and flushing. If they have a distance to travel, we have educated family and patient and had them aspirate at home. We have had good success with both. I can't say we have a protocal that addresses this...but we do believe in acting in a timely manner to address concerns.
Kelly Smith
PICC Nurse
Boone Hospital Center
Columbia, Missouri
If there is time for at least one try with tPA (in addition to planned treatment) we will go for it. Sometimes, depending on treatment and patient vein status, we will administer the treatment peripherally while the tPA is instilled in the CVAD. To ask the inpatient wards to take over the patient until finished can also be an alternative. Also we might try to find a time slot for treatment the next day and send the patient home with tPA instilled. This is not very frequent and I think most of the times we have done this is when first instillment does not do the job completely.
Mats in Stockholm
where they can stay (our outpatient area is still part of the hospital). They can also go to the cafeteria until its time for us to check their line. I'd rather know whether it cleared or not in case they needed a second dose, or a chest film to check for tip location if catheter clearance didn't work.
Mari Cordes, BS RNIII VA-BC
Vascular Access Department
University of Vermont Medical Center