A nurse is preparing to draw a blood specimen from a client's central venous catheter (CVC). To maintain catheter patency, prevent infection, and ensure accurate laboratory results, arrange the following steps in the correct chronological sequence.
- 1Scrub the needleless connector hub with an antiseptic wipe.
- 2Flush the catheter lumen with sterile normal saline.
- 3Aspirate and discard the initial 5 mL of blood (waste).
- 4Attach a new sterile syringe and withdraw the required blood specimen.
- 5Flush the catheter lumen again with 10 to 20 mL of sterile normal saline.
Answer
The correct sequence is to disinfect the hub, flush to confirm patency, draw and discard the waste blood, obtain the required diagnostic specimen, and finally perform a thorough flush to prevent line occlusion.
Following this exact sequence ensures three critical risk reduction goals: preventing infection by scrubbing first, ensuring accurate diagnostics by clearing the line of fluids before sampling, and maintaining the integrity of the device by flushing away residual blood to prevent thrombosis.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Reduction of risk potential during central venous catheter blood sampling involves strict aseptic technique, proper clearing of line fluids to ensure accurate diagnostics, and thorough flushing to prevent catheter occlusion.