ICYMI: Best Practices for PICC insertion, care and management

A multi-specialty panel led by Vineet Chopra, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor,  has designed a best practices guide for the “insertion, care, and management” of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). The 15-member panel included physicians and nurses from multiple specialties, including pharmacy. A patient was also invited to contribute to panel discussions. Multiple…

Exhibit Hall Experience INS 2014

At every INS Annual Meeting, the exhibit hall is the one of the highlights of the week.  I am very grateful to all the vendors who were there whether they had something new to show or not because their products contribute greatly to patient care and safety. Their willingness to educate nurses is always appreciated.…

Q&A: Insulin and PICCs

Q: What kind of IV solutions can be given through a PICC line? Is it safe to give Humolog insulin or should I start another IV line? A:  PICC is short for peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a central vascular access device (CVAD) inserted into an extremity and advanced in the venous system until…

Q&A: PICC line dressing – clean or sterile?

Q: Can you please let me know if a PICC line dressing can be a clean procedure or does it have to be sterile? A:  First, I will direct you to your organization’s policy and procedure on central vascular access device (CVAD) dressing change procedure to determine the procedure to follow. If you can’t locate…

Q&A: PICC vs Midline

Q: What is difference between picc line and midline. How can you tell the difference if one is not the one who inserted it? A: By definition, the difference is: PICC is short for peripherally inserted central catheter. It is a central vascular access device inserted into an extremity and advanced in the venous system until…

Exhibit Hall Experience: INS 2013

This is the part of the INS Annual meeting that I always look forward to.  I am very grateful to all the vendors who were there whether they had something new to show or not because their products contribute greatly to patient care and safety. Their willingness to educate nurses is always appreciated. Just like…

Celebs have them too…

….vascular access devices, that is! Yes, just like our patients, many celebs have had a vascular access device placed to receive medical treatments. As an infusion nurse, I have made mental note of celebs who have publicly admitted they’ve had a PICC line or any other central venous access devices (sad, I know). And the…

Outsource or In House?

I’m sure no one will be surprised to hear that many services in acute care and outpatient settings are outsourced to individuals or organizations who specialized in certain tasks or services. One of these outsourced services include vascular access device insertion, in particular PICC insertions. There are several independent companies and/or  individuals who provide PICC insertion service, many…

INS 2011: Exhibit Hall Experience

I am back from the INS 2011 meeting in Louisville  and  although it was exhausting, one can’t say they didn’t learn anything, The week was packed with educational sessions that focused on may different core aspects of infusion nursing. The exhibit hall was packed with vendors and manufacturers eager to showcase their latest and greatest…