Just wondering how you are cutting your picclines........on a bevel or straight?? Someone has mentioned recently that the picclines should be cut straight across and we have always been cutting on a bevel. If so, is there any documentation to support this??
Always cut straight across, if you must cut at all. In the article posted by Terri, you can see why there is a risk associated with a manual cut at the bedside. Bevel cuts were recommended back in the early 1990's but I do not know of anyone that has recommended them for numerous years. You should strive to maintain the same tip integrity as the manufacturer. None of them have a bevel cut. One brand that I can think of has a molded flexible tip but all others are blunt. How would you know at what angle to make the bevel cut? What is the chance that this bevel cut could more easily erode through the vessel wall? Vessels move with each heart beat. These are just a few of the reasons for a straight cut. In my opinion, a more appropriate way would be to choose a catheter length that does not require cutting to length but I know we do not live in a one-size-fits-all world.
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