I still have my catheter in despite the fact that I have a working arm access now. I
am having an unrelated surgery and still need the catheter. My nurse told me she's only going to change the dressing once a week since I'm not using the catherer now. The first day she did this I came back with drainage by the next treatment and she did have to dress it then. Is this correct protocal? Shouldn't it be checked every treatment whether its being used or not?

Betty,

The NKF-DOQI Vascular Access Guideline 15 Catheter Care and Accessing the Patient�s Circulation states:

B. The catheter exit site should be examined at each hemodialysis treatment for signs of infection.

C. Catheter exit site dressings should be changed at each hemodialysis treatment.

The NKF DOQI is now called the NKF K/DOQI and the full text is online. The NKF web site is www.kidney.org

Ask your nurse about nursing policy and procedure for changing catheter dressings at your unit. You may want to go the NKF web site and print out the Vascular Access Guidelines 13, 14 and 15. These three Guidelines are Prevention of Complications: Infection. If your unit policy is different than the NFK K/DOQI Guidelines, you can ask the head nurse or your nephrologist about the issue. You can use the Guideline 15 as your reference source.

You may also want to look here on RenalWEB for more information. The Topic area has a page for Patient Education with many hyperlinks to very good reference information including the NKF K/DOQI.

Best Wishes,

Deborah