Routine Care of Peripheral and Central Lines

Routine Care of Peripheral and Central Lines

■ Clamps: Open-ended catheters will always have clamps to prevent the backflow of blood and air embolisms; all open-ended catheters must be flushed with heparin to minimize fibrin collection and clot formation. ■ No clamps: Valved-tip catheters do not have any clamps and require saline flushes; use positive-pressure flush technique. ■ End caps: Change the end cap(s) every 7 days or sooner if any blood, cracks, or leaks are seen. ■ Syringe size: The smaller the syringe size, the greater the pressure in pounds per square inch (PSI); greater PSI increases the potential for catheter damage. Therefore, a syringe size of 10 mL is recommended for all central line flushes. ■ Positive-pressure flush:To reduce the potential for blood backflow into the catheter tip, which promotes clot formation and catheter occlusion, always remove needles or needleless caps slowly while injecting the last 0.5 mL of NS.