Final answer:
The first step in terminating catheter treatment and preparing for patient discharge is to confirm that the patient no longer requires intravenous access and all treatments are completed. The healthcare provider then cleans the site with antiseptic and removes the catheter with proper precautions to avoid infections, followed by dressing the site post-removal.
Step-by-step explanation:
Treatment Termination: Preparing Catheter for Patient Discharge
When preparing for catheter termination and patient discharge, the first step is ensuring that the patient no longer requires intravenous access for treatments. A healthcare professional must assess the patient's overall condition and confirm that all necessary therapies, such as antibiotic treatment or chemotherapy, have been completed or that alternative routes of administration have been established.
Upon confirmation, the healthcare provider should then gather all the necessary supplies, including gloves, antiseptic wipes, waste disposal bags, and dressing materials, if required. The area around the catheter should be cleaned with an antiseptic solution to prevent any further risk of infection. Proper protocol entails wearing gloves and possibly other personal protective equipment (PPE) to maintain a sterile environment during the removal process. After the catheter removal, the site should be inspected for any signs of infection or complication and appropriately dressed to promote healing.
In the case of needing to treat an existing infection, as with Barbara and the presence of Staphylococcus epidermidis, medication may need to be delivered through a different route such as oral antibiotics, and blood cultures should be monitored to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment before catheter removal.