Page 1 of 25 DESCRIPTION/OVERVIEW The purpose of this ...

ATTACHMENT H: CARE OF THE VASCULAR ACCESS DEVICE IN THE
POST ANESTHESIA CARE UNIT (PACU)
All Central Venous Catheters placed in the OR by the Anesthesia staff or the surgeon will
have a stat chest x-ray done in the PACU to confirm placement without complication. Chest x-
ray for central venous catheter placement will be added to the anesthesia standing orders for
PACU.
PACU personnel will not use the line until verifying that an x-ray for placement without
complication has been confirmed. DO NOT stop the infusion, but slow the infusion to a To
Keep Open (TKO) rate until confirmation has been completed. Anesthesia staff will review x-
ray for placement of the central venous catheter and inform the PACU nurse so the intravenous
(IV) rate can be adjusted. Anesthesia staff will document on the PACU Physician Order Sheet,
“Confirmation of catheter placement without complication, after review of x-ray”.
Anesthesia may occasionally request that PACU continue to use the central line at current
infusion rates, because no other IV access is available on this patient. PACU will document this
order on the anesthesia order form and in the nurses notes. The above protocol will be followed.
All changes to the IV rates and confirmation of central line placement will be documented in
the PACU nurse notes.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Title: Venous Access Device
Owner: Clinical Education Department
Effective Date: 07/27/05
Page 24 of 25