Hello all-
Our facility is considering training a small group of staff nurses to place US PIVs, and are interested in others' experiences. Thank you in advance for your time/responses.
1) Does anyone have unit based staff RNs as IV Champions using US for PIVs
2) Does your facility have a specialized IV or Vascular Access Team?
3) What are their functions (ex PIV / USPIV / PICC or other CVAD insertion / dressing changes / port access / Rapid response)
4) Is your team staffed 24/7?
5) What is the total # of beds in your facility?
!) We don't, but some nurses have been trained to use the US and use it.
2 and 3) We do, we have 7 RNs. They place tons of PIVs (with and without US, but are not an IV team, per se), place PICCS, Midlines and IOs, assist with CVC insertions, perform all central line dressing changes including PICCs, do port accesses if a department does not have a competency for this. They also respond to all "codes" and record as well as assist with vascular access as needed. They also draw all blood cultures from lines. They assess all central lines, regardless of type, every day.
4) Yes they are 24/7/365 - try to have 2 on days (on does a 12-hour shift 6a-6p, one does an 8 hr shift, time varies) and one on nights
5) About 160 beds, but we are a Level II Trauma Center, do open heart surgery, have a dialysis unit.
Hope this helps!
Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI
Thank you Wendy!
Keely Ralston RN-BC, VA-BC, CPUI, RCIS
Main Line Health
1. No, we are in the process of training our IVTeams with a new extended dwell catheter using US guidance.
2. We have a Vascular Access Team
3. Functions - all you mentioned and also daily assessment of all central lines in the house.
4. No, not staffed 24/7. Staffing 7AM to 11PM weekdays and 7AM to 7PM weekends.
5. Four acute care hospitals. Bryn Mawr Campus beds, about 300 licensed beds.
Trish
Thank you Trish!!
Keely Ralston RN-BC, VA-BC, CPUI, RCIS