Respiratory Therapists Inserting PICC Lines - page 4

Here in Arizona several of the hospitals have started an experiment, they are actively replacing PICC nurses with RTs and calling them "Vascular Access Specialists." These RTs will place PICC lines,... Read More

  1. by respstudent
    Aug 7, '13
    Quote from Esme12
    I don't think it unsafe either....I would think it helpful as an adjunct......but should never precede their responsibility of intubation, Rapid Response, vents...etc
    Oh, goodness, no! I didn't become a respiratory therapist because I wanted to insert PICC lines. I wouldn't want PICCs to be the only thing I did, but if a manager made it clear that being credential to work as part of the PICC team meant I got more shifts or wasn't furloughed as often, I would certainly give it some though.
  2. by MendedHeart
    Aug 7, '13
    Our RRTs not only give treatments but ...do ekgs, do ABGs, run codes, etc...as they are all ACLS certed.
  3. by lindarn
    Aug 8, '13
    Do RRTs, who place PICC lines, charge for this? If so, there is a good reason that a hospital would pick RRTs to place PICC lines over nurses. I will bet, that if floor nurses were to start placing PICC lines, they would not be charging for this.

    One of the main tenets of hospital administration, is that they DO NOT WANT NURSES TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT THEY BRING INCOME TO THE HOSPITAL!!

    They prefer a nurses' profesional practice to ALWAYS BE ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL BALANCE SHEET!! Rolled in with the room rate, houskeeping, and the complimentary roll of toilet paper.

    By allowing RRTs, and/or, other departments to take over nursings professional practice, it keeps nurses, "barefoot and pregnant", so to speak. No worth at all, the only thing that they do is drive up the hospitals costs for salary and benefits.

    Think about it. Just another way to down grade nurses, and continue to disempower us.

    JMHO and my NY $0.02.
    Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN(ret)
    Somewhere in the PACNW
  4. by MendedHeart
    Aug 8, '13
    Nurses do PICCs at my hospital
  5. by SoldierNurse22
    Aug 9, '13
    I guess I don't understand why you'd pick respiratory to do a vascular procedure. It's not so much that they can't do it, but anyone can learn a skill.

    It's more about keeping the skill sets within the professions that deal with them the most. In that keeping, RNs would be the most logical choice to train on PICC insertion and the most experienced with IVs and vascular access in patients and the unique problems that presents.

    It's also about the fact that while PICC insertion is a skill, inserting a central line is not a low-risk procedure. While an RT has a lot of understanding with regards to respiratory, I would think an RN would have a much bigger picture of the anatomy/physiology involved and a more holistic approach to the procedure on the average.
  6. by Esme12
    Aug 9, '13
    ABG's are a vascular procedure....I have worked where RRT's do a-lines for the units....it's all in the medical director.
  7. by Esme12
    Aug 9, '13
    Quote from lindarn
    Do RRTs, who place PICC lines, charge for this? If so, there is a good reason that a hospital would pick RRTs to place PICC lines over nurses. I will bet, that if floor nurses were to start placing PICC lines, they would not be charging for this.

    One of the main tenets of hospital administration, is that they DO NOT WANT NURSES TO BE ABLE TO PROVE THAT THEY BRING INCOME TO THE HOSPITAL!!

    They prefer a nurses' professional practice to ALWAYS BE ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF THE HOSPITAL BALANCE SHEET!! Rolled in with the room rate, housekeeping, and the complimentary roll of toilet paper.

    By allowing RRTs, and/or, other departments to take over nursing's professional practice, it keeps nurses, "barefoot and pregnant", so to speak. No worth at all, the only thing that they do is drive up the hospitals costs for salary and benefits.

    Think about it. Just another way to down grade nurses, and continue to disempower us.

    JMHO and my NY $0.02.
    Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN(ret)
    Somewhere in the PACNW
    Now I do agree with that....
  8. by lindarn
    Aug 10, '13
    Why would an RRT run codes? Doctors run codes. If no doctor, then RNs run codes. EKG techs do EKGs.
    Why do you feel the need to embelish your skill set on a nursing website? We know better.

    JMHO and my NY $0.02.
    Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN(ret)
    Somewhere in the PACNW
  9. by chare
    Aug 10, '13
    Quote from lindarn
    Why would an RRT run codes? Doctors run codes. If no doctor, then RNs run codes. EKG techs do EKGs.
    Why do you feel the need to embelish your skill set on a nursing website? We know better.
    Why wouldn't an RRT run a code?

    What unique skill sets does nursing possess that, in the absence of a physician, only they are qualified to run a code?

    Did you read any of the declaratory statements at the link I provided in an earlier post?
  10. by MendedHeart
    Aug 10, '13
    Quote from lindarn
    Why would an RRT run codes? Doctors run codes. If no doctor, then RNs run codes. EKG techs do EKGs.
    Why do you feel the need to embelish your skill set on a nursing website? We know better.

    JMHO and my NY $0.02.
    Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN(ret)
    Somewhere in the PACNW
    Im assuming you are talking about my statement.

    First, I am a nurse not an RRT. I was just saying what our RRTs have the capability and knowledge to do at my hospital. Just as nurses can run a code if an unusual circumstance comes about where a MD is not present, as can an ACLS certified RRT. I find them very helpful.
  11. by manusko
    Aug 10, '13
    Quote from lindarn
    Why would an RRT run codes? Doctors run codes. If no doctor, then RNs run codes. EKG techs do EKGs.
    Why do you feel the need to embelish your skill set on a nursing website? We know better.

    JMHO and my NY $0.02.
    Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN(ret)
    Somewhere in the PACNW
    Anyone with ACLS training can run the code.
  12. by respstudent
    Aug 10, '13
    Quote from SoldierNurse22
    I guess I don't understand why you'd pick respiratory to do a vascular procedure. It's not so much that they can't do it, but anyone can learn a skill.
    We already do ABGs and, in many places, arterial lines. We're not actually taught to look at our patients as a walking heart/lung with other stuff attached that we know nothing about.

    RTs have a pretty good understanding of the cardiovascular system in general, infection control, and haemodynamics, so if you had to pick another allied health professional to do PICCs aside from an RN an RT is a pretty good choice.

    Sometimes nurses seem to think "holistic approach" is a trump card that they are uniquely placed to play.

    "Hey, so nursing wants to take over IABP management from RT."
    "Why?"
    "The nursing manager says their holistic approach to patient care makes them more qualified."
    "What's next? Are they going to try and take ECMO too?"
    "Don't say that out loud. Nurses are everywhere, and they'll get ideas."
  13. by SoldierNurse22
    Aug 10, '13
    Right...I get that you guys do ABGs and that sort of thing as well, but that's at least related to RT. PICC line insertion...not so much.

    I don't mean to imply that you guys aren't holistic, that you don't have autonomy in practice, that you're less intelligent, yada yada yada. I just find the concept of RTs starting PICCs strange because it's a role I've only known to be filled by RNs because...well, we're constantly at bedside, we know who needs them, we use them more often than any other discipline, and it just makes sense.

    That's all.

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