Peter Pronovost, M.D., now senior vice president for patient safety and quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore, developed a checklist to prevent central-line infections more than 15 years ago. It’s still the gold standard.
If a family member needs a central line, make sure hospital staff follows this protocol when placing or handling one of the IVs:
• Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
• Wear protective clothing when inserting the line, including mask, cap, gown, and gloves; the patient should be covered with a sterile sheet.
• Disinfect the patient’s skin with the antiseptic chlorhexidine.
• Avoid placing the IV in the groin.
• Check every day whether the catheter can be removed.
In addition, the insertion site should be covered with sterile gauze or chlorhexidine dressings, and caregivers should wash their hands before touching the patient or the line and scrub the access port before each use.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the January 2017 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.