Prevention of infection in IVC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prevention of infection in IVC - Essay Example These intravascular catheters usually terminate at or near the heart, or in one of the great vessels including vena cava among others (Cdc.gov, 2010). This paper looks into prevention of infection in Inferior Vena Cava (IVC). Before inserting catheters, the inserter and their assistant(s) should observe strict proper hand hygiene by washing hands either with alcohol-based hand rub or with conventional antiseptic-containing soap. They should also take maximal barrier precautions – use mask, head cover, sterile gloves and sterile gown. They should also drape the patient with the full body drape and maintain a sterile environment during the insertion. The inserter should perform a back-and-forth friction scrub on the site skin using chlorhexidine skin preparation, and then ensure that the solution dries utterly before attempting central line insertion. The drying time varies with the site of insertion. If possible, use antimicrobial-impregnated catheters. After initial insertion, they should apply occlusive sterile dressing per policy. Unless in emergencies, they should not perform any fluids/medications administration through the line prior to verifying the catheter tip placement. Most importantly, one should never connect previously used administration sets and fluids to central venous access lines (WHO, 2005).