PICC Line Threading ANP (would this be valuable?)

jer_sd · Dec 18, 2009

Not really a huge NP skill. NPs can be reinbursed for placing PICC lines where RNs can not.

I place PICC lines as part of my job as a radiology NP. It is a narrow nitch procedure that will have limited use outside of a hospital.

If you want to learn to learn a skill go for it. But it will not likley make a huge difference in employment down the road.

TakeBack · Dec 18, 2009

Any procedural skill is worthwhile. It adds to your skill set, and you will learn things that can likely apply to other areas of your practice.

Music in My Heart · Dec 19, 2009

...where I work is offering to let me get training to become a part of their "PICC line team."

My father used to say, "Never turn down an opportunity to learn something new." That approach served him well and has served me well. I think you'd be wise to do it irrespective of its impact on your resume (which impact would seem to vary depending on your ANP specialty and where you're looking for work).

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Dec 19, 2009

I agree with not turning down the opportunity to learn a new skill. How having this skill affects your future job prospects depends on many factors you may not be able to predict at this point. I think nurses who have had a long career as part of the PICC Team are probably not the greatest candidate for most NP positions because there is very little patient management involved in placing PICCs. However, a nurse who holds a diverse background in caring for patients at the bedside and has the skill to place PICC's can be quite attractive for an in-patient NP position where the skill could be utilized. In my current job, the NP's actually place PICCs and other central catheters. In the other jobs I've had, the NP's place central catheters except PICCs because of a turf issue with the PICC Team who are part of IR.