Overview
Introduction
A central venous catheter provides essential access but bypasses the skin’s usual barrier to the bloodstream.
A central venous catheter provides essential access but bypasses the skin’s usual barrier to the bloodstream. The dressing protects the insertion site, while securement limits catheter movement; both reduce opportunities for contamination but cannot replace careful technique. Every dressing check has two purposes: preserve a clean, sealed barrier and identify a problem that needs follow-up. A wet or loose dressing is therefore not a cosmetic issue, even when the patient has no fever. It is a failed barrier that requires action.