I am looking for literature to support or not support the following:
I am also looking for professional opionions on this as well:
Should patients /family members of patients receiving cyclic TPN at home be taught how to deaccess and reaccess their own implanted port?
Should they be taught how to draw blood for weekly labs from their port access?
Please share your thoughts and any supporting literature if you know of any.
Thank you
Amy
My opinion is the answer depends upon the patient and family. If they are capable (manual dextrity, vision, cognitive, etc) and willing to learn, why should they be prevented from doing this. Independence is the goal. 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
Lynn
Including drawing weekly labs from line?
Amy
AKStone
As long as it is done correctly and is transported to the lab properly and within the allotted time from drawing, I see no reason why a patient should not be allowed to draw their own blood. Unlicensed medical assistants draw blood frequently from CVADs, so why not the patient who would have their own best interest at heart. 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
I totally agree with Lynn. Assess the situation first. I have successfully taught a hand full of patients/care givers to access ports and that prompted one hospice patient's wife to enroll in nursing school after he passed. I always do a second visit when they aer ready to do a needle change for "moral" support and assess after that as many times as I feel necessary. Does that help? Valorie
Valorie Dunn,BSN, RN, CRNI, PLNC