Final answer:
The recommended nursing action for a client with a PICC line is (A) to change catheter caps as needed, (B) use aseptic technique for dressing changes, (C) avoid coiling the external portion on the dressing and (D) to flush the line according to facility policy.
Step-by-step explanation:
A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line requires meticulous care to prevent complications such as bloodstream infections. When caring for a client who has a PICC line, nurses should follow several recommended actions:
- Change catheter caps every 10 days or as per facility policy, to reduce the risk of infection.
- Utilize aseptic technique when changing the PICC line dressing, not a clean technique, to maintain a sterile environment around the catheter insertion site.
- Avoid keeping the external portion of the catheter coiled on top of the dressing, as this could contribute to infection and potentially other complications.
- Flush the PICC line with normal saline and/or heparin solution as per the facility policy to maintain patency and prevent blockages.
These actions are critical to prevent infections like the one experienced by the patient Barbara with metastatic inflammatory breast cancer, who developed a localized infection and fever due to potential breaches in PICC line care.