Patient education program to avoid careless maintenance of Peripheral Inserted Central Venous Cateters and enlarge their use.

Background:

 

Onco-haematology patients commonly need central venous catheters (CVC's) during their treatment therapy. In our ward the Infusion Therapy Team (ITT) is responsible for the insertion of peripherically inserted central venous catheters (PICC's) and also 10 and 20cm midlines for intravenous therapy. Although the majority of the patients have a CVC inserted, complications are usual.The most frequent ones are catheter related blood-stream infections and trombosis episodes. The objective of this study is to involve the own patient and relatives to care appropiately, and monitor any potential complications of the intravenous device to alert promptly a health professional to prevent further harm.

Methodology:

Once a patient is candidate for a PICC insertion the responsible registered nurse in the ward approaches the patient and gives him/her both oral and written education. As patients are frequently discharged with the PICC, they are provided with a contact phone number in case a complication arises in between the 15th days Chemotherapy Day Unit mantainance appointment. Every patient approached is offered to be a participant in the study. All participants are followed in time. They are inserted in an anonymous database using as identification their Hospital Clinical Number (HCN). Many variables are collected, the most important one is the duration of the PICC and the reason to remove it. There is another access restricted database with the name and surname of the patient and his/her (HCN).

Results:

At the moment 42 patients have been enrolled in the study, yet a significant sample must include 161patients. Once the sample is completed a comparison would be conducted with a sample of 161 patients with a CVC device inserted who did not received any CVC care education. If the implementation of CVC care and monitoring education demonstrates CVC’s last longer, such standards will serve to state a protocol to empower the patient in the PICC care.