i am a long term lurker and havent contributed in a long time but have an important question. i recently was reading our most current hospital policy and it says a "central line tip" can terminate in a "great vessel" and it gives examples of "great vessels" as including the subclavian and internal jugular. I am at this point reeling. Has the defenition of "central" changed???? thanks. i will be waiting anxiously for a reply.
Jeffery Fizer RN, BSN
The CDC (on their site) uses terms like "greater vessels" that include subclavian and more. I questioned them on their references and really didn't get a response that satisfied me.
No one here uses that as a determination of a central line. It has to be SVC (r IVC for pediatric patients.)
Gwem Irwin
Austin, Texas
Reminds me of a cxr for tip location reading I obtained from a rad'ist once:
"Somewhere in the vicinity of the thorax."
Mari Cordes, BS RN
Mari Cordes, BS RNIII VA-BC
Vascular Access Department
University of Vermont Medical Center
The definition of all central venous catheters is derived from the tip location, and this should not be confused with the insertion site. For instance, subclavian or IJ would be the insertion site for a CVC with tip location in the lower SVC, near the junction with the RA.
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
www.hadawayassociates.com
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861