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Intravenous Line Sepsis
Infusion therapy and intravascular devices carry a substantial and often unappreciated risk for producing iatrogenic harm. Risks include severe metastatic infections such as endocarditis, prosthesis infections, septic arthritis, and endophthalmitis. These complications can be prevented by good insertion technique and subsequent care.
Common Errors
- Failure to wash hands before inserting the cannula.
- Placing non-sterile dressings and tape over puncture site
- Inadequate disinfection of site.
- Leaving in situ too long (>72 hours).
- No record of insertion date.
- Failure to replace lines inserted under emergency conditions (e.g., by ambulance staff, or in Emergency Department).
- Failure to seek help when you have had 2 or 3 attempts to insert an IV line.
Topic Code: 1280