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Vera Deacon
Family presence during PICC insertions

Looking for any publications/articles that address family presence during a sterile procedure. We have opened a PICC suite and this issue has come up. thanks!

Angela Lee
My thinking is that this

My thinking is that this would have to be decided on an individual basis.  I do not have any literature that speaks to this (or have not seen any recently) but my experience is that not all family members react the same way or can be supportive to the patient.  I work in peds and for the most part prefer that the family not be present but each situation is evaluated and sometimes it is in the patient's best interest that a parent (not the whole extended family) be there.  Anxiety levels, tolerance for invasive procedures, family dynamics and patient preference (for adults) must all be taken into consideration.  I can usually discern most of this when I obtain consent by asking a few questions and carefully observing how the family interacts.  As far as sterility, i think it can be managed with family present but when I sense the patient would do better without a family member, sterility is often the reason I use to ask them to step out.

lynncrni
I have never seen any

I have never seen any published evidence about this issue. I have a blog entry about this and recently there has been many good points posted, both pro and con, about this practice. Go to http://hadawayassociates.blogspot.com/2009/10/family-present-during-picc... to read these messages. 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

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