piccrn56

CritterLover, I wasn't referring to air embolism issue. I thought we put the injection caps on for sterility rationale. I wouldn't want my open ended PICC laying in wound drainage, sputum,etc.... I agree with you the risk of air embolism is almost non-existant! Karen:nurse:

There is a new PICC on the market that doesn't have any clamps because it has internal valves that act as clamps and it is power injectable and also purple. It is the practice at my hospital when the nurses MUST use the line for lab draws they should leave the injection cap on, draw labs with a syringe, flush with 20ml NSS and then change cap(s). BEWARE: Not all power injectable PICCs are purple but all are labeled near the extension legs.:typing

Hi, I'm Karen and I am a grateful recovering smoker! I never really wanted to quit but I felt really pressured to do it and was embarrassed for anyone to see me smoking. I started on Chantix and cut my smoking by half during the first twelve weeks. I was then truly a smoking addict, smoking only at home where no one could see me. During the start my second twelve weeks of Chantix I got a cold and had a non smoking visitor for a week. After that was under my belt it was relatively easy to stay quit. I did take advantage of the Get Quit website through daily emails. Now at 100 days quit I have graduated to twice weekly e-mails from them. I am wll aware that I can never smoke even one cigarette again or I will be right back to smoking. So I take it one day at a time. Another helpful website for me is Hazeldon who also send daily e-mails. Smoking is just another addiction perhaps one of the worst. Keep at it, Thunderwolf! I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel, look and smell!!!!:w00t::balloons:

I don't do many PIVs any more but when inserting PICCs with ultrasound guidance we do see lots of venospasm. If this is the case with your patient perhaps warm compress would help or nice cup of warm tea. If venospasm is the culprit and it is not contraindicated you could always try a touch of an anti-anxiety agent. (for the patient, not you!!!!):w00t: Karen:redpinkhe

Thanks to all of you for your help. I spoke to one of our Anesthesiologists who is quoting data from 1965. They are convinced that foot IVs have less complications than CVC, including IJ with US guidance. We agree that they should be short term but I am thinking hours not a day or two. We all know that common sense doesn't always impress the medical community. We still have to meet with Anesthesia about this issue. We plan to show them pictures of foot IVs that have caused infiltration and the resultant complications. If all else fails I would like to ask how they would feel about a foot IV in their mother, wife, or loved one.:innerconf On a positive note I have a meeting with the Chief Mecical Officer about the future of the PICC team. My goal is to place the appropriate vascular access device in every patient within 24-48 hours of admission. :w00t:We also plan to petition the State Board in PA for Nurses to perform EJ line placement. Any ideas or suggestions to how to best go about this???? Thanks, again Karen:redbeathe

Hi! I'm hoping that some one has data on why foot IVs just should not be placed. In my large city hospital it has become common for IVs to be placed in feet. We have been encouraging that if a pt has a foot IV the nurses should generate a referral to the a PICC team. This seems to be very upsetting to the anesthesia staff as they would rather place an IV in a foot than start a CVC. They of course want to see data supporting why fooot IVs are BAD!! Please help!!