How to Measure a PICC Line With Dressing Change
- 1). Wash your hands with soap and water. Put on a pair of sterile gloves. Gently remove the dressing from the PICC line insertion site.
- 2). Hold the external PICC line and find the notch marks running along the thinnest part of the tube. These are placed 1 cm apart.
- 3). Count and record the number of exposed notch marks. If the tube does not have notches, use a tape measure to assess the length of the external tubing. Compare this number to the baseline measurement taken at the time of PICC line placement.
- 4). Cover the PICC site with sterile gauze and tape in place. Change the dressing daily and record the tube length each time. Notify your doctor immediately if the length changes, as the tube might have migrated.
