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 PICC line alarm indicates occlusion during a continuous infusion. After repositioning the patient, resistance persists. What is the next appropriate step?
Answer: Attempt to aspirate and assess for blood return, then consider thrombolytic therapy
If repositioning does not resolve the occlusion, the nurse should attempt aspiration to assess patency and then follow institutional protocol for thrombolytic therapy if indicated.
During PICC line use, a patient suddenly develops shortness of breath, hypotension, and tachycardia. The nurse suspects air embolism. What is the immediate positioning intervention?
Answer: Left lateral decubitus (Durant's maneuver) with Trendelenburg
Left lateral decubitus position with Trendelenburg (Durant's maneuver) traps air in the right ventricle apex, preventing it from entering the pulmonary circulation.
A nurse observes swelling and pain in a patient's arm above the PICC insertion site. Which complication should be suspected first?
Answer: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Arm swelling and pain above the PICC site are classic signs of deep vein thrombosis, which requires urgent diagnostic evaluation with ultrasound.
Which finding indicates a PICC catheter has migrated into the right atrium?
Answer: Cardiac arrhythmias noted on telemetry
Cardiac arrhythmias, particularly atrial dysrhythmias, can indicate that the PICC tip has migrated into the right atrium and requires immediate repositioning.
A patient with a PICC line develops a fever, chills, and hypotension without an obvious infection source. What should the nurse suspect?
Answer: Catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI)
Systemic signs of infection (fever, chills, hypotension) without another source in a patient with a PICC are classic indicators of a catheter-related bloodstream infection.
When troubleshooting a sluggish PICC infusion, the nurse elevates the patient's arm and the flow improves. This suggests what cause?
Answer: Positional occlusion due to catheter tip location
Flow improvement with arm elevation indicates a positional occlusion, where the catheter tip may be partially obstructed by the vessel wall depending on arm position.