Care of an Arterial Line

An arterial line is a thin catheter, inserted into an artery. It constantly measures blood pressure, and allows staff to retrieve samples for arterial blood gas tests (pH, carbon dioxide, oxygen and bicarbonate). It is commonly placed in an artery on the wrist, but other sites might include the elbow, groin area, or ankle. It can be required for many serious illnesses that need monitoring, such as organ failure or patients on ventilators.

Insertion Care

• Precautions taken while inserting an arterial line will reduce incidents. If using a radial artery (wrist insertion), a test will be performed to evaluate the proper blood flow to the hand. The staff member should clean the site of the artery thoroughly with an antiseptic wash. He will apply lidocaine, a mild anesthetic, to alleviate pain and reduce risk of jerking during the procedure.

Dressing

• If you need to provide care of a line, here are some things you can do to make it safer. First of all, watch the site for discharge or drainage. Some blood on a dressing is normal; what you want to be concerned with is yellow or brownish seepage. This could indicate an infection. According to the London Health Science Centre, changing the dressing every seven days is normal; however, if you see this type of stain from seepage, it's best to clean the site and change it right away.

  Taking sterile precautions when changing the dressing is paramount. You will need to use sterile gloves when performing this task. You should also drape a sterile towel around the arm before removing the old dressing. Change your gloves and wash your hands after you remove it, before cleaning the site. Make sure that you look around the artery for any red areas. This might indicate infection.

  Open two chlorhexidine swab sticks, first take one swab, and scrub the area horizontally then vertically, repeat again with the second swab. Allow the chlorhexidine to dry before doing anything else. Make sure the line is stable and fixed with sterile tape. Apply a new occlusive dressing (a dressing that seals the wound) using the recommended product. An example of this is Tegaderm.

General Precautions and Troubleshooting

• Insertion of arterial lines carries risks of certain complications. Some simple precautions will reduce the risk. Prevent hemorrhage or bleeding by making sure the arm is stabilized and immobile. You must wear sterile gloves whenever touching the line. This will help prevent infection. Flushing the line will provide for good flow and eliminate risk of blood clot. Proper technique for flushing needs to be demonstrated to you before you begin care. Flushing is simply pushing saline through the line to keep it clean, especially after blood draws.

  Care of an arterial line is serious business; a medical professional needs to monitor it. You should insist on full demonstrations of all care procedures before you attempt to provide maintenance for the line. There are specific steps that need to be taken to prevent serious complications. Takes notes and ask many questions, this will help make you more comfortable in your abilities.