Final answer:
Central venous catheters are used in critical medical cases needing constant medication delivery or pressure monitoring, but carry infection risks that require careful insertion protocols.
Step-by-step explanation:
A central venous catheter (CVC) is typically inserted in medical situations where there is a need for long-term medication administration, fluid replacement, or for monitoring central venous pressures. This procedure is invasive and usually reserved for critical situations such as surgeries, intensive care scenarios, or in the case of patients with certain conditions like metastatic cancer requiring chemotherapy. The utilization of a CVC comes with its set of risks, including the potential for catheter-related bloodstream infections, which can be life-threatening and lead to complications like sepsis, and organ failure, as seen in the clinical focus example of a cancer patient. To mitigate these risks, protocols and checklists, similar to those proposed by Dr. Pronovost, are crucial to ensure each insertion of a CVC follows strict sterile procedures to prevent infections.