PICC Troubleshooting & Problem Resolution Flashcards
6 cards from real PICC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 PICC Troubleshooting & Problem Resolution flashcards as text
A nurse documents a PICC line with 'sluggish blood return but no resistance to flush.' Which intervention is most appropriate per INS standards?
Answer: Assess for fibrin sheath and consider alteplase per protocol
Sluggish blood return suggests early fibrin formation, and per INS standards the nurse should assess for fibrin sheath and initiate thrombolytic therapy per institutional protocol.
A PICC dressing change reveals the catheter has advanced 2 cm further into the insertion site. What action is required?
Answer: Do not advance the catheter back — notify the provider and verify tip position
A PICC that has advanced inward must not be repositioned without radiographic tip verification; the provider should be notified to confirm safe catheter placement.
Which assessment finding is MOST concerning during a routine PICC flush and requires immediate provider notification?
Answer: No blood return, severe resistance, and patient reports arm pain
Absent blood return with severe resistance and arm pain suggests catheter thrombosis or fracture, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate provider notification.
A nurse accidentally cuts a PICC catheter during a dressing change. What is the priority intervention?
Answer: Clamp the catheter above the cut immediately and notify the provider
Clamping the catheter above the cut prevents air embolism or catheter embolism and is the immediate priority before notifying the provider for further management.
During troubleshooting of a non-functional PICC, a chest X-ray reveals the catheter tip has migrated to the internal jugular vein. What is the correct response?
Answer: Stop using the catheter and notify the provider for repositioning
A PICC tip in the internal jugular vein is a malposition that can cause complications; the catheter must not be used and requires provider-directed repositioning.
When a PICC patient develops unilateral facial swelling and neck edema ipsilateral to the line, which complication is most likely?
Answer: Superior vena cava (SVC) thrombosis
Unilateral facial and neck swelling ipsilateral to a PICC is a hallmark sign of superior vena cava thrombosis, requiring urgent imaging and provider notification.