Midline/picc line classes.

Specialties Infusion

Published

Specializes in long-term-care, LTAC, PCU.

Hello everyone. I am the ADON AT A SKILLED nursing facility with a vent unit. We give a lot of iv meds that require PICC lines and we use a lot of midlines. I was looking to take a class on PICC line and midline insertion but don't know where to start. I've tried to Google classes an I don't get much luck. I could save our facility thousands each month if I could become certified to do these. I live just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. If any of you nurses know where to go for this, please let me know asap. Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Vascular Access.

You may be able to save the company money, but should you be placing them? Placement of PICC is much more than merely a task.

In addition, as ADON, I can't imagine that you'd have the time needed to perform this procedure. INS recommends that someone wanting to place PICC's have 1600 hours of IV therapy in the previous two years, and a proficiency with CVC management and care.

Is that you? If so, Bard has a PICC course which may be able to help you. Check this out.

https://www.bardaccess.com/clinical_training/course_overviews.php

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Training a nurse to become a vascular access nurse is not an easy thing to do. There is a significant amount of education and hands on training that needs to be done with a high failure rate. In the hospital the general rule is 6 months and at least 100 insertions before someone is considered minimally competent.

Keep in mind, not everyone can hold an ultrasound probe in one hand, the needle with the other, and watch a screen at the same time while adjusting the probe's position and advancing the needle.

You were planning on buying an ultrasound machine right? $5-$25k right there...

If you really want to develop an advanced vascular access program then you should look into hiring an already seasoned vascular access nurse and have them help build the program so that you can purchase the right kits and ultrasound.

Bard or Teleflex might be good places to start, they readily will guide you in how to build a program.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

God bless you both! The term "certification" does not really apply here. You can take a PICC class and get whatever certificate they give you but you will not be able to go then place PICCs. You must be competent to do so with proven competency kept on file and up to date! It takes much more than you think especially with all the advanced tracking and tip confirmation systems now being used. An IV Therapy background is always a plus but not mandatory but it will take longer especially if you do not have that knowledge base. That means you will need ongoing support. The last PICC nurse we trained we took off a med-surg floor and she was good at starting IVs...no other IV experience. It took us 4 mos of working FT before she was considered in our staffing . Even then she always had an expert level clinician with her and continued to learn and learn and learn as time went on.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

dbl post

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Philadelphia based Perivascular Nurse Consultants, Inc. offer this education.

Closing as OP was from 2010.

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