Why is this procedure done?
A central line is a very long, thin intravenous line (I.V.). The Broviac, Hickman, Groshong, and Hohn are kinds of central lines. Your doctor or a nurse with special training will place the central line into your arm, neck, or chest. The line goes through your skin and into a large blood vessel that leads to your heart. The central line is a direct path to your blood. The staff can give you drugs, take blood samples, or give you fluids over time. ‚
You are at a higher risk of having a blood stream infection if you have a central line. A blood stream infection is also known as a BSI. You and your care team will work to prevent this kind of infection. You are more likely to have an infection if you: ‚
- Have a central line in place for a long time
- Have a history of serious illnesses like a neurological problem
- Have high blood sugar or diabetes that is not well controlled
- Are female
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What problems could happen?
You may have an infection even though you are trying to prevent them. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
There are important things you and your caregivers can do to help prevent BSIs. ‚
- Good hand washing is very important. Both you and the staff should wash your hands before and after you touch your central line. Also wash if you are touching the dressing, I.V. tubing, or blood drawing equipment.
- The doctor or nurse will take extra care when they place your central line. The doctor or nurse will wear a mask, gown, cap, and sterile gloves for the procedure. They will use sterile techniques and clean the site with a cleaning agent and allow it to dry before placing the line.
- Take good care of the central line and tubing.
- Keep the central line covered with a sterile dressing. Ask the staff to change dressing if it becomes dirty, loose, or wet. The staff will also change the line dressing on a regular schedule. At home, your caregiver may be trained to do this.
- Keep the central line and tubing secure. This is to prevent the tube being pulled or catching the tube on anything when you are moving around.
- The staff will clean connectors each time before accessing the line. They will also change connectors and I.V. tubing on a regular schedule. The staff will wear a mask and sterile gloves for these changes. At home, your caregiver may be trained to do these things.
- The staff will take out the central line as soon as it is no longer needed.
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher; chills; redness, yellowish drainage, warmth, stinging, or pain at the catheter site.
- Problems with the catheter like:
- Catheter falls out all the way or part of the way
- Breaks, cracks, or leaks in the catheter
- Not able to get the drugs or flush solution through the catheter
- Not able to get a blood return from your catheter
- You have any concerns about your catheter
- Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain
- Swelling on the face, neck, or chest on the side of the line
- Swelling or bulging veins around the catheter site
- You are not feeling better in 2 to 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my procedure.
- I can tell you how to care for my central line.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have problems with my catheter, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Where can I learn more?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ‚
http://www.cdc.gov/HAI/bsi/CLABSI-resources.html ‚
National Institute of Health ‚
http://www.cc.nih.gov/ccc/patient_education/pepubs/hickman.pdf ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚