Pediatric peripherally inserted central catheter program report: a summary of 4,536 catheter days

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nursing
• Vascular Access Devices
• Infection Control

Background:

• Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are increasingly used for pediatric patients requiring long-term intravenous (IV) therapy.
• Assessing the safety and efficacy of PICC programs in pediatric settings is crucial for optimizing patient care.
• Limited data exists on the long-term outcomes of PICC programs in urban pediatric teaching hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the outcomes of a PICC program at an urban pediatric teaching hospital.
• To compare the catheter duration and complication rates of PICCs inserted by a single IV nurse clinician with published reports.
• To determine the efficacy and safety of PICCs for intermediate to long-term IV access in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective data collection was performed on all PICCs inserted by one IV nurse clinician from July 1989 to June 1992.
• Data included patient demographics, catheter insertion details, duration of catheter use, and types of complications.
• Outcomes were compared to eight other published reports on PICC use in pediatric populations.

Main Results:

• A total of 269 PICCs were successfully inserted in 226 out of 330 referred patients.
• The catheter duration and rate of PICC complications were found to be comparable to previously published data.
• No significant differences in outcomes were observed compared to national benchmarks.

Conclusions:

• Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are an efficacious and safe method for providing intravenous access in pediatric patients.
• The PICC program at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children demonstrated outcomes consistent with established literature.
• PICC utilization can be safely managed by specialized nursing staff in pediatric teaching hospitals.