title: Two-year trends of peripherally inserted central catheter-line complications at a tertiary-care hospital: role of nursing expertise.
abstract: We found reductions in peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) complication rates over 2 years of observation (20.4 vs 13.8/1,000 line-days; relative risk, 0.5-0.9). This difference represents a cost saving due to reduced line reinsertions and reduced use of thrombolytic agents. The presence of a dedicated PICC insertion nursing team and education of ward nurses in PICC maintenance is a plausible explanation for the observed differences.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, and St Boniface General Hospital, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Plourde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies