Hi All,
I trying to develop a standard IV quick guide for my hospital with the products that I am currently using. I am very frustrated as what I have found is that INS standards are from 2006 and the CDC guidelines are from 2002 and they say to refer to the manufactures. Also the manufactures of these products say to refer to the hospital based protocols, hence the circle of no real answers. We all know that over the past few years I have also called my peers in other hospitals in my areas and everyone is doing something different also because of the confusion. How can we educate our patients as we send them home,  if our new and current nurses are confused about the care of our lines. As experts in our field we are dependent on these manufactures' researchers and clinical specialists to tell us what the guidelines are for there products, however, this piece is missing. I brought this up at the last AVA conference.
 What I would like to suggest is that we all stand together to get the answers from the manufactures and that we can develop a quick guide, so that if you have PICC "A" with cap "B" then you could know what would be the best practice in regards of dressing changes, flushes, and cap changes. I feel this would be the best solution to end the confusion. I hear the manufactures screams as I suggest this, however, who knows the product best is them and as we put pieces together we can take this information and ALL be following the same guidelines and best of all, the patient would hear the same thing from us and not be confused about their care. I believe in patient safety and this would be a direction to make sure that happens.
If anyone has any suggestions or would like to help me with this huge challenge, I would welcome it.
Thank you,
 Sara