Caring for a Central Line (CVC) at Home or in Rehab

A plain-language guide to caring for a central line (non-tunneled central venous catheter) at home or in rehab — keeping it clean and dry, protecting it, recognizing problems, and when to call for help.

Patient Education For patients
By Dennis Woo, Dr. Mike Stern & I.M. Wright 2 min read
Published

Evidence-based · Vascular Access Governance Committee; Home Infusion; Patient Education Department

If you are leaving the hospital — for home or a rehab or skilled nursing facility — with a central line (a non-tunneled central venous catheter, or CVC), this guide explains how to keep it clean and safe and how to recognize a problem early.

A non-tunneled central line is usually a shorter-term device. If you have a PICC line, implanted port, or tunneled (Hickman/Broviac) catheter, follow the guide for that device — they are cared for differently.

What a central line is

A central line is a thin, flexible catheter placed into a large vein in your neck, chest, or groin, with its tip resting in a large vein near the heart. It lets your care team give medicines, fluids, and nutrition, and draw blood, without repeated needle sticks. Because the tip sits in a major vein, keeping it clean and protected is very important.

Your daily central line care routine

  1. Keep the dressing clean, dry, and sealed on all edges.
  2. Wash your hands before touching the line or its connections.
  3. Keep clamps closed and caps on every port when not in use.
  4. Flush only as instructed, never forcing it.
  5. Check the site and how you feel every day.

Keeping it clean and dry

The clear dressing is your main protection against infection — keep it intact and dry. Most people with a non-tunneled central line are told not to shower over the site; use sponge baths and keep the area dry. Never swim or submerge the line. If the dressing loosens or gets wet underneath, contact your care team for a fresh sterile dressing.

Warning signs — when to call your care team

  • Fever or chills
  • Redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, or pain at the site
  • Swelling of the face, neck, or arm
  • A line that will not flush or a leaking connection

Emergencies — call emergency services

  • The line is cut, broken, or pulled out — clamp or fold it closed, lie on your left side, and call for help (air can enter the vein)
  • Sudden shortness of breath or chest pain

Frequently asked questions

How do I take care of a central line at home?
Keep the dressing clean, dry, and sealed on all edges; wash your hands before touching the line; keep each lumen clamped and capped when not in use; flush only as you were taught with the syringes provided; and check the site every day for redness, swelling, drainage, or leaking. Call your care team for any of those signs, for fever or chills, or for a line that will not flush.
What is the difference between a central line and a PICC line?
Both are central venous catheters whose tip sits in a large vein near the heart. A PICC is placed through a vein in the upper arm and is often used for weeks. A non-tunneled central line is placed directly into a large vein in the neck, chest, or groin and is usually a shorter-term device used in the hospital, though some people go to rehab or home with one for a brief time. Care is similar, but always follow the instructions for your specific device.
Can I shower with a central line?
Only if your care team says so, and only with the site fully covered and kept dry. Many people with a non-tunneled central line are told not to shower over the site and to keep it dry with sponge baths instead. Never swim or submerge a central line. If water gets under the dressing, contact your care team for a dressing change.
What are the warning signs of a central line problem?
Call your care team for fever or chills; redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, or pain at the site; swelling of the face, neck, or arm; or a line that will not flush. A cut, broken, or dislodged line, or sudden shortness of breath or chest pain, is an emergency — clamp the line if you can, lie on your left side, and call emergency services.
What do I do if my central line is cut or comes out?
This is an emergency because air can enter the vein. If the line is cut or broken, clamp or fold it closed above the break right away. If it is pulled out, press firmly on the site with a clean dressing. In either case, lie down on your left side and call emergency services, then notify your care team.