I received a request to change out a PICC because it's been in place for about one year. It is still working fine and no sign of infection. This is a Hem/Onc pt. Is length of time in place reason enough to exchange? If so, can I do over wire exchange or move to new site.
Debra Rivie
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
Long Beach, CA
No. See INS Standards of Practice 2011. Standard 44 III A. "The maximum dwell time of a CVAD is unknown." Why put the patient at risk for infection (especially a potentially immunocompromised hem/onc patient) when they already have a perfectly good CVAD in place? There is no longer a recommendation for the routine replacement of CVADs.
Keith W. Gilchrist, MSN, RN, PHN, OCN, CRNI, VA-BC
Oncology Nurse Navigator, David Grant Medical Center
Travis AFB, CA