Should sutures be removed on dialysis catheter patients after they have been in for 3 weeks? Or should they be removed only if they become red and it has been at least 3 weeks? Is the suture removal a medical act or can a PICC nurse do this?--I have heard it both ways but currently I remove them, with an order.
The process for making any determination about scope of practice rests with your board of nursing. So follow what they say. I am not aware of any magic time for removing sutures and there is a strong movement away from using sutures for all medical catheters, regardless of their size. Sutures produce needlestick injury and they grow biofilm increasing the risk of infection. So my choice would be to eliminate the sutures totally in favor of a manufactured catheter stabilization device.
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
www.hadawayassociates.com
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