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Implement the Central Line Bundle:
Daily Review of Line Necessity with Prompt Removal of Unnecessary Lines

Daily review of central line necessity will prevent unnecessary delays in removing lines that are no longer clearly necessary in the care of the patient.  Many times, central lines remain in place simply because of their reliable access and because personnel have not considered removing the line.  However, it is clear that the risk of infection increases over time as the line remains in place and that the risk of infection is decreased if removed.


Tips
  1. Empower nursing to enforce use of a central line checklist to be sure all processes related to central line placement are executed for each line placement.
  2. Include daily review of line necessity as part of your multidisciplinary rounds.
  3. Include assessment for removal of central lines as part of your daily goal sheets.
  4. Record time and date of line placement for record keeping purposes and evaluation by staff to aid in decision making.