WHEN YOUR PATIENT no longer needs a central venous catheter (CVC) or its integrity is compromised, it should be removed. Here you'll see how to remove a percutaneously inserted nontunneled CVC. Removing it correctly lessens the risk of life-threatening complications, such as air embolism. Before you begin, make sure your facility's policies and procedures permit nurses to remove this type of CVC.
DO
* Verify the physician's order and check the patient's lab results for uncorrected coagulopathies. If you find any, stop and notify the physician according to facility policy.
* Identify the patient and explain the procedure.
* To reduce the risk of air embolism, place him supine with the head of the bed flat unless contraindicated.
* Close the flow clamp if an administration set is attached.
* Perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves. Remove the dressing carefully and discard it with your gloves. Repeat hand hygiene and put on sterile gloves.
* Assess the catheter insertion site for evidence of complications such as redness, swelling, or drainage. Notify the physician if you see any of these signs; she may order a culture. Clean the site according to facility policy, preferably with chlorhexidine.
* Remove the catheter-securing device.
* Ask the patient to take a deep breath, hold it, and bear down. If he can't do this or it's contraindicated, have him exhale or place him in the Trendelenburg position.
* After you've removed the catheter, tell the patient to breathe normally. Apply pressure with the sterile gauze until bleeding stops.
* Apply a sterile air-occlusive dressing over the insertion site to prevent a delayed air embolism.
* Assess the length and integrity of the catheter and visually inspect the tip for smoothness. Remove your gloves and perform hand hygiene.
* Document the date and time of CVC removal, noting the CVC's length and integrity, the site assessment, patient response, and nursing interventions.
DON'T
* Don't pull harder if you meet resistance while removing a CVC.
* Don't remove it when the patient is inhaling.
* Don't apply any dressing that's not air-occlusive-this would increase the risk of a delayed air embolism.
RESOURCES