amy1197

Just looking to see what other facilities are placing for PICC lines? We currently use Angiodynamics Morpheus Power PICC but have been having some issues with the hubs cracking or leaking. We are considering trialing another brand possibly Bard. Just wondering what other PICC teams are using.

Hi, I am looking to create a policy and competency for Ultrasound guided PIV placement. Does anyone have a copy of either of these that they are using at their facility? Currently our nurses who are trained in PICC placement use the ultrasound to place difficult periferal IV's but some of the nurses in the ICU's are interested in being trained in placement using an ultrasound machine. Thanks so much.

http://www.centurionmp.com/products-services/products/cvc-catheter-securement-anchor-system/

Hi Everyone, I am an RN on the IV team and have to do a preformance improvement project for school. My project is going to be a study to see if a tubing securement device with help maintain the integrity of the central line dressing. In our facility we are using a chlorhexadine impregnated tegaderm for our central line dressings. We find that our IJ dressings are only staying intact for a few days at a time and are rarely lasting the 7 days we would like them to. I believe that the problem is a combination of poor skin prep prior to the dressing being applied and/or the weight of the tubing/lines that is putting a strain on the line and causing the dressing to become unocclusive. I am just trying to find out a little bit about what other facilitys are doing or if they experience the same problems. do you use some type of securement device or what type of dressings are you using? Here is a link to the securement device we will be trialing. It is the tubing securement. We still suture our lines in. Thanks. Amy

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Things are getting easier for me the more I try. I am now getting more than I miss so I guess that's a good thing. Thanks again.

Hi everyone. I just started my new job on the IV team with the VA on Monday. I have no IV experience so they are training me. I have had a few successful IV starts but more misses. I am starting to get discouraged. I hate having to stick the patient and miss. Everyone tells me I'm doing ok but I'm stressing about it. I can tend to be a perfectionist so I hate not being good at what I'm doing. How long did it take you before you were good at IV starts? Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks. Amy

Hi. I just graduated the LPN-RN at Massasoit. It was great. We had class one afternoon a week from 4:30-8:30 I believe and then clinical one evening a week from like 4-10ish. I really liked it and I didn't think that it was too hard either. Clinicals were at Brockton hospital, South shore hospital and the Mclean hospital which is at the Brockton VA.

Hi I worked as an LPN at the VA hospital in both Brockton and West Roxbury. Brockton is mainly long term care but W. Rox is a large teaching hosiptal. I worked on a Surgical floor with telemetry and learned so much. The VA is great for utilizing LPN's. I did everything that the RN's did except for a few things like give blood, mix IV meds and a few other minor things. I got my RN a few months ago and I'm back on the same surgical floor. You can't even tell the LPN's from the RN's unless you read their badges. The pay for LPN's at the VA is much higher than anywhere else from what I have heard also.

Not at all. The base starting rate is about 58,000 but that doesn't include locality pay which right now is about 7% of your base pay plus you get shift and weekend differential. After a year you jump up about 5,000. You also start off with 5 weeks paid vacation as an RN. Not too bad.

I agree the hiring process can take a while but they usually do have openings for RN's and they hire new grads no problem. It's just a tedious application process. I think that it's worth it though.

The VA Hospital hires new grads and the pay is higher than local hospitals to start.

Hi I have worked for the VA in Boston and Brockton for 10 years as an LPN. Most of that time has been in SCI. I just got my RN and will be going to a surgical unit at the Boston VA. From what I have seen the pay at the VA is somewhat higher than the local hospitals and comprable to the Boston Hospitals. The health benefits are just ok in my opinion. I pay about $130 every two weeks for family medical insurance but the retirement plan is great. All in all I would say that the VA is a great place to work. I also love to care for those who have served our country.