Zeroing a PAL

[nurseygal]

What is the correct way to zero a PAL ? I am currently a NICU nurse but today had a time trying to zero the line. The catheter was in the foot. Do I turn it towards the foot or towards to head?

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

Turn what toward the head or foot? You always level the TRANSDUCER with heart, turn the stopcock OFF to the patient, open the stopcock cap using aseptic technique, hit zero, replace cap, open to pt, check for waveform/perfusion......

[MA Nurse]

What is the correct way to zero a PAL ? I am currently a NICU nurse but today had a time trying to zero the line. The catheter was in the foot. Do I turn it towards the foot or towards to head?

You can't be afraid to ask your fellow nurses for help when you don't know how to do something. There are no wrong questions to ask when you are new and aren't sure of something in a critical care unit.

Also, the response you got from Steve is how you do it.

If you ask for help at work, you can see it being done instead of reading it on the internet.

[thebirdgirl]

I was taught that with peripheral lines, you zero the transducer at the level of the insertion site. With central art lines, you zero at the level of the heart.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

I was taught that with peripheral lines, you zero the transducer at the level of the insertion site. With central art lines, you zero at the level of the heart.

With a neonate lying on a warmer, probably not that much difference between the two. In an adult or older pedi patient, I can see where it would be a little more important.