contact the hospital team who placed the catheter for advice. Refer to trouble-shooting guide. Decontaminate hands To allow for a sterile environment for accessing intravenous catheter, Open sterile pack and use a non-touch technique to place inner pack onto clean working and to reduce incidence of infection. area. Open out sterile pack to create an aseptic field. Open remaining equipment using a non touch technique, ensuring no contamination of aseptic field. To prevent accidental removal of the catheter and friction or trauma to skin surface. Loosen exit site dressing. To loosen dressing lift lower-end and gently ease the dressing off, from the skin. Aseptically remove the dressing Decontaminate hands Chlorhexidine based solutions are Put on sterile gloves recommended (in alcohol) as per Place sterile towel as near as possible to the catheter exit site. policy (DOH 2001). Clean around the catheter and exit site Chlorhexidine 2% impregnated applicator (SEPP). The solution should be applied with friction, but should not be too vigorous or Alcohol Chlorhexidine combines the the skin's natural defence may be destroyed. benefits of rapid action and excellent Using a Chlorhexidine 2% wipe, carefully clean the catheter from the exit site to the residual activity (DOH 2001). part of the catheter that will be covered by the sterile dressing. Allow to dry. Semi-permeable transparent IV Apply new securing device i.e. Skin closure strips or skin fixation device (if required) dressings are well tolerated by Apply new dressing to exit site without touching the adhesive site. patients (Campbell et al 1999, Remove the dressing towel Treston-Aurand et al 1997, Wille Remove gloves. 1993) and are easy to apply and Clear away equipment disposing of waste as per organisational policy. Wipe down the remove (Wille 1997). trolley that has been used during the procedure with multi-surface detergent wipes. Wash hands. Document care on patient’s records.
contact the hospital team who placed the catheter for advice. Refer to trouble-shooting guide. Decontaminate hands Open sterile pack and use a non-touch technique to place inner pack onto clean working area. Open out sterile pack to create an aseptic field. Open remaining equipment using a non touch technique, ensuring no contamination of aseptic field. Loosen exit site dressing. To loosen dressing lift lower-end and gently ease the dressing off, from the skin. To allow for a sterile environment for accessing intravenous catheter, and to reduce incidence of infection. To prevent accidental removal of the catheter and friction or trauma to skin surface. Aseptically remove the dressing Decontaminate hands Put on sterile gloves Place sterile towel as near as possible to the catheter exit site. Clean around the catheter and exit site Chlorhexidine 2% impregnated applicator (SEPP). The solution should be applied with friction, but should not be too vigorous or the skin's natural defence may be destroyed. Using a Chlorhexidine 2% wipe, carefully clean the catheter from the exit site to the part of the catheter that will be covered by the sterile dressing. Allow to dry. Apply new securing device i.e. Skin closure strips or skin fixation device (if required) Apply new dressing to exit site without touching the adhesive site. Remove the dressing towel Remove gloves. Clear away equipment disposing of waste as per organisational policy. Wipe down the trolley that has been used during the procedure with multi-surface detergent wipes. Wash hands. Document care on patient’s records. Chlorhexidine based solutions are recommended (in alcohol) as per policy (DOH 2001). Alcohol Chlorhexidine combines the benefits of rapid action and excellent residual activity (DOH 2001). Semi-permeable transparent IV dressings are well tolerated by patients (Campbell et al 1999, Treston-Aurand et al 1997, Wille 1993) and are easy to apply and remove (Wille 1997).