arterial sheath puling post cath

Not in NC, but yes our facility has a standard of care. Cath prep and recovery pulls some, but many patients go to the inpatient unit to have their sheaths pulled by staff RNs on the floor.

We pull mostly femoral, sometimes brachial, and radials usually come from the cath prep and recovery area with a pressure device in place. The RNs on the floor loosen and remove the device.

We pull diagnostic and post intervention sheaths, with heparin or Angiomax on board. With heparin, we have to get an ACT <180 prior to pull, with Angiomax it's two hours after the infusion was stopped.

I pulled many sheaths alone, though it's nice to have a CNA present to write down the frequent VS or have an extra set of hands. Typically our aides were too busy to spend a half hour in the room, so I pulled alone most of the time. Just made sure that my phone was handy, and that my charge nurse and break buddy both knew I was in there pulling.