External Jugular Cannulation Procedure

[sarah.cutting]

I'm currently trying to piece together didactic and a skills lab for my ED staff to FINALLY begin allowing RNs to place EJs in the department. Does anyone know of any good resources to utilize to develop the didactic, P&P, etc? I am really looking for help with the P&P portion and would greatly appreciate any examples (if you have them) from other facilities on what the P&P entails.

[offlabel]

Same here, there is some big stigma about EJ's. When I was in the ICU, I did them a lot, and every times somebody would come talk to me about it, I would ask:

"Is there any specific P&P against it". No.

"Are we allowed to start peripheral IV's", they would say yes.

"Is the EJ a peripheral site" a blank start usually, but then I would answer "yes, it is a peripheral site".

The patient has no other venous access that we can get, we needed a line, so I got a line. It is not like I did an IV in the foot or leg of a diabetic (made that mistake once in the ICU, but is a common site in EMS).

In the ER, the physician does EJ's, and I can't stand watching them screw it up. I end up "assisting" them with it.

Good post...took the words right out of my mouth...If its so all fired important to get an IV, but not important enough for a central line, just do an EJ. Its a crappy line in terms of patient comfort and securing it but...any port in a storm. Leave the deep peripheral veins that are accessible via ultra sound for midlines for later....

[GinnyMi]

That is hysterical!!!!

[rearviewmirror, BSN, RN]

Training your staff to be sonosite certified and trained is also another alternative. Puncturing an IJ versus an artery on an arm are different things. I personally love sonosite and it's my baby.