Midline/PICC line insertion certification

Infusion50 · Jan 2, 2017

Hi there Kindatheart35,

I work at an infusion center. When I got the job, they paid the fees for me to take an on-line PICC course through BARD. We use their PICC products. After I completed the on-line course, I then had to spend a few weeks with the PICC team to achieve at least 5 successful PICC insertions independently start to finish. Once that competency was signed off by my preceptor, I was considered a qualified inserter. Then you need to do so many PICC insertions per quarter and/or have an >80% success rate to maintain competency. This all gets recorded in your annual evaluation.

The first few days I shadowed and learned how to evaluate a pt, their labs and history. Then, I started poking around arms under guidance. (Learning how to hold the US hand piece steady with my non-dominant hand and inserting the needle while looking at a screen was my biggest challenge... but quickly conquered). It's really pretty easy when it all goes text-book. Once you get the skill down pat, you have to practice your system of setting up the room/patient/sterile kit/charting/charging&billing chores.

I do know of people who have paid out of their own pockets for PICC training from an independent PICC education company. It's so expensive that I wouldn't do it.

UnbrokenRN09, BSN · Feb 14, 2017

From what I've heard you kinda have to just get a job in a hospital with a picc team to "get your foot in the door" and then get on the picc team. That's what I had to do. I'm now mid-line certified and hoping to move on to piccs asap. It's very expensive to get independent picc training and the hands on experience is lacking.

I think the certification process varies by facility. I was required to watch 3 and then successfully do 3. I recommend getting comfortable with the ultrasound machine beforehand because it's very frustrating to struggle with getting access while also maintaining a maxi-bari sterile field.