Patient Care Technicians Managing Hemodialysis Central Venous Catheter Care: Pro and Con

In the United States, the responsibilities and scope of practice of nephrology nurses and patient care technicians working in hemodialysis units vary from state to state. This occurs in relation to the care and management of central venous catheters (CVCs) used for hemodialysis. The aim of this article is to review the pros and cons of non-nursing staff performing the management and care of CVCs. The pros include decreasing nursing task time, allowing nurses to devote their time to other higher functioning roles, while the cons include lack of technician skill, education, and experience to perform CVC management and care.