Nurses' knowledge of peripherally inserted central catheter maintenance and its influencing factors in Hunan province, China: a cross-sectional survey.

In conclusion, the knowledge of PICC maintenance was at a medium level among nurses in Hunan province, China. Multiple steps should be taken to improve the nurses' PICC maintenance knowledge, including disseminating PICC maintenance knowledge in multiple ways, such as courses, lectures, seminars and new media. Particular attention should be given to populations who responded poorly in this survey, and targeted education for nurses should be distributed based on their performance on specific dimensions, such as the replacement of dressing and needle-free connectors. In addition, the quality of the nurses' practical performance could be measured in the future.