PA Line help

Could someone explain the color codes on PA lines? I am relatively new to CCU and have never seen one...small hospital out in the sticks! Thanks.

The one i usually work with is the Swan-Ganz catheter. Your unit should have a spare catheter for new nurses to look at. Or better yet look at the one your pt has. Talk to whoever is precepting you or your nursing educator. As well as the AACN book. I'm trying to picture the cath in my head because i'm not at work but the blue is the cvp line (measuring your RA pressure), the yellow connects to the temperature probe, the white is the PIP port(proximanl insertion port) and then you'll have another one(i think it's black or white) with a 3 cc syringe attached to the end which only allows you to use 1cc of it for pulmonary wedge pressure readings. When in doubt...ask! There is no such thing as a stupid question. I've only been in ICU for 1 yr coming from endoscopy. So i felt lik a new grad all over again. I still ask questions. Nothing wrong with that. It'll keep your pt safe!

Our PA lines have five ports (we also use the Swan-Ganz):

--the blue one is for measuring CVP/RAP

--the yellow one measures the PA pressures

--the clear one is our med port (VIP/Venous Infusion Port)

--the orange one has a 3cc syringe on the end for inflating/deflating the balloon and wedging

--the white one is for the temperature probe to attach to

Hope that helps!

Our PA lines have five ports (we also use the Swan-Ganz):

--the blue one is for measuring CVP/RAP

--the yellow one measures the PA pressures

--the clear one is our med port (VIP/Venous Infusion Port)

--the orange one has a 3cc syringe on the end for inflating/deflating the balloon and wedging

--the white one is for the temperature probe to attach to

Hope that helps!

This is how our swans are "color coded" as well...except that our orange is pink. OUr swans have the following labels printed right on them:

The blue is labeled as the distal port (cvp/rap)

The yellow is labeled as the proximal port (PA line/SVO2 calibration draws)

The clear is labeled as the infusion port

The pink doesn't have a label (that I can think of) but does have a 1.5 cc syringe leur locked to it

The white is the temperature probe...

Then we have a black line with a goofy looking piece on the end that attaches to the SVO2 cable.