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MarkCVL
D\C of PICC line.....

What is the general consenus on measurement of the removed PICC line upon D\C????  Do we???? (tell the truth...Santa's on his way!)

lynncrni
The national standards from

The national standards from INS state to measure the length upon removal. This should be documented after comparison to the inserted length to ensure that the entire length was removed. I am eager to see how many people are actually meeting this standard. 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

Wendy Erickson RN
Yes, we measure the removed

Yes, we measure the removed catheter and compare with what was inserted. Have never NOT removed an entire catheter at end of therapy in 17 years of PICCs as our institution, but we still measure!

Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI

momdogz
yup.

we do.

Mari Cordes, BS RNIII VA-BC
Vascular Access Department
University of Vermont Medical Center

Angela Lee
We also check length on

We also check length on removal.

Angela

valoriedunn
We measure but do not always

We measure but do not always get the inserted length in the paper work we have for admission to home health and hospice to compare. 

Valorie Dunn,BSN, RN, CRNI, PLNC

Diane C Lauer
We do

We measure on D/C Unless we see a colored tip, which means the cath was not cut

 

Celia Brown

carolsrn
D/C of PICC line

We always measure.....and in over 20 yrs of exclusive practice of infusion nursing (mostly management) have had several instances of catheter breakage requiring IR intervention and one surgical intervention where catheter had adhered to to the wall of the vein and broke off.  It happens!

 

Carol Sweeney, CRNI, Vice President of Nursing & Clinical Compliance  ContinuumRx

Wendy Erickson RN
Were these polyurethane

Were these polyurethane catheters or silicone?  I can see it happening with silicone, but boy, polyurethane is REALLY tough and strong.  I would think that anyone needing to use that much force to remove a PICC that it causes it to rupture should have stopped attempting removal a long time before that point!  That situation may require a cutdown to remove it.

Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI

Alma Kooistra
Our nurse's are instructed to

Our nurse's are instructed to NOT remove a line unless they know how long it was when it went in.  There is a cm measurement on the patient's record.  They look at the line when it's removed to assure the measurement is the same as at insertion. 

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