Caring for a peripheral venous catheter — inspection, dressing change, removal

Checking the peripheral venous catheter daily for indication and complications, changing the dressing aseptically and removing the catheter safely.

Content created with AI assistance from public clinical sources (RKI, AWMF) – may contain mistakes; if in doubt, your textbook is right

Translated from the German original, which is authoritative. The exam itself is in German.

Material

• Hand disinfectant, disposable gloves
• Alcohol-based skin antiseptic according to the hygiene plan, sterile swabs or gauze pads
• Sterile catheter dressing (transparent or gauze dressing according to local policy)
• Syringe with NaCl 0.9 % for flushing according to local policy, sterile closure cap
• For removal: sterile swab, plaster or pressure dressing; sterile tube for the catheter tip if ordered; waste container

Typical mistakes in the exam

• Leaving the catheter in although it is no longer needed
• Changing the dressing at fixed times instead of according to findings
• No hand disinfection between removing the old dressing and applying the new one
• Not letting the skin antiseptic dry
• Pressing on the insertion site while pulling out the catheter
• Not checking the removed catheter for completeness
• Continuing the infusion despite signs of phlebitis

What examiners ask afterwards

• Which signs of phlebitis do you know, and what do you do if you suspect it?
• Does a peripheral venous catheter have to be changed after a fixed number of days?
• What is the difference between phlebitis and extravasation (Paravasat)?
• What do you do if the catheter tip is missing on removal?

Sources

• KRINKO: Prävention von Infektionen, die von Gefäßkathetern ausgehen (RKI)
• Jackson A.: Visual Infusion Phlebitis (VIP) Score
• Gebrauchsanweisungen der Hersteller von Venenkathetern und Katheterverbänden