The Practices developed by nurses in the management of peripherally inserted central catheters: an integrative review

Practices developed by nurses in the management of peripherally inserted central catheters

Abstract

Objective: to identify, in the scientific literature, the practices developed by nurses in the management of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) in hospitalized adults. Methods: this is an integrative literature review. The following descriptors were used for the search: Adulto (Adult), Cuidados de Enfermagem (Nursing Care), Planejamento de Assistência ao Paciente (Patient Care Planning), Competência Profissional (Professional Competence), Credenciamento (Credentialing), Enfermeiras e Enfermeiros (Nurses), Cateterismo Periférico (Catheterization, Peripheral), Dispositivos de Acesso Vascular (Vascular Access Devices), Cateterismo Venoso Central (Central Venous Catheterization), Pacotes de Assistência ao Paciente (Patient Care Bundles) and their synonyms, without the use of filters, in the databases of the Virtual Health Library (VHL); Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE); National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) journal portal. Only primary articles were included. Results: of 2,130 initial publications, only six constituted the final sample. They were published between January 1998 and April 2021, and there was only one Brazilian study. Most of the publications were related to continuing and permanent education, the use of chlorhexidine, hand hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment, dressing changes, the use of ultrasound, insertion and handling times, and the saline flush technique. Conclusion: Highlights included continuing and ongoing education, the use of X-rays and ultrasound to locate the catheters, dressing care, sterile technique, hand hygiene and care when handling the catheters.