Arterial line insertion by the RN

[CactusFlower]

Any of you starting your own artlines? At my current facility this is under the realm of respiratory. Have had too many bad experiences for some reason and I want to get my hospital to get the P&P started with an instructional program for the ICU RNs.

[CC-RN-EMTP]

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

CC

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

MD responsibility at my facility.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

Sounds awesome! I'd love to do them.

[RNperdiem, RN]

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.

[putmetosleep]

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!

[suzanne4, RN]

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.

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

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.

[sleepergirl]

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

[Christie RN2006]

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.

[PICC ACE]

At my previous hospital,RN's could place arterial lines. I recently started at a different hospital,university/teaching place where the docs do them,though I have on 2 occasions "unofficially" made the stick and let them take it from there--I have a few tricks up my sleeve they don't teach in med school. Just underscores my belief that RN's should be the ones starting ALL lines in the units,but I know few others share my views on this.

[berry]

As far as painful sticks, try numbing the site with lidocaine just like an Iv start. If you are not starting them offer this up for whoever is. There is no reason for patients to just deal with the pain of being stuck. This is a position I have done a 180 degree turn on since I started using lido for IV starts. You can place a 14 gauge in somebody and they never even stop talking. Same thing with aline sticks they dont even wince.

just my $.02