There is discussion at my facility to set a day of the week for all PICC dressing changes. For example, regardless of when the dressing was last changed, if you are a patient in our facility, it will be changed on "Wednesday." Does anyone have any evidence for or against this practice?
Thanks
Trish Hayes, BSN, RN
Many facilities have developed this policy. A new CVAD may have dressing changed short of 7 days to get on the schedule. How many of your patient stay longer than a week? You also need to make sure your policy incudes a change of dressing when it is wet, dirty or nonadherent on any side - don't reinforce it but a complete change. Also I would want to change the dressing immediately before discharge with the CVAD so I could document site condition, external length and ensure a good dressing when the patient arrives at the next venue of care. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
For simplicity's sake, our facility changes all CVC/midline dressings every Friday regardless of insertion date. Our policy also includes prn dressing changes. For the most part, it works well.
Tina