Arterial line insertion by the RN

We do our own a-lines. You have to have 3 successful starts with supervision then you are good to go!

CC

MD responsibility at my facility.

Sounds awesome! I'd love to do them.

MD responsibility,and let's keep it that way, OK?
Painful sticks are not my favorite type of procedure.
New nursing responsibilities are often things doctors now consider routine(scutwork) and try eventually to hand off to nurses(and make it seem like they are doing us a big favor).
No nursing duties are subtracted however, to make up for the added on duties.
That sounds a little cranky, but that is my first impression on this.

MD responsibility at my facility also. We're a teaching hospital so it's usually the interns or residents inserting them. However, we do have techs who are trained in Art line insertions, and occasionally they'll put them in. I'd love to learn!

If the nurse can draw an arterial blood gas, then this is not any more painful and not much different in the technique in placing an a-line.

As far as who can start an arterial line, that depends on the state that you are licensed in, as well as the policies and procedures are of the facility that you are at.

My nurses in my SICU do there own , or they call for me to come do them if there having diffuculties starting one, but painful sticks are not my favorite procedures to do either.:spin:

At my facility NP and MD's insert A-lines

At my facility the Docs start all the A-lines. A few of our nurses have accidentally started one while inserting an IV on a really difficult stick.