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afruitloop
Injecting Air in PICC

As an educator for Teleflex, I see many practices.  I would like your input on the following situation. The PICC nurses are injecting AIR into the PICC after it is placed.  They do it at the time in the procedure that many nurses inject saline and ask the patient if they hear water or bubbling in their ear.  Ever heard of this?  What are your thoughts?

 

Cheryl

AKA fruitloop

lynncrni
My thoughts are this is

My thoughts are this is absolutely nuts, crazy, stupid, I could go on. We now have lots of information about the effect of microbubbles in the circulation. I wrote about this in both my chapters of the new INS textbook and you can find information on my blog about a specific article -  http://hadawayassociates.blogspot.com/2008/07/save-small-air-bubbles-for-champagne.html

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

momdogz
I had to read your post 3

I had to read your post 3 times because I couldn't believe it.  How could any clinician think this is a good idea?

Mari Cordes, BS RN 

Nurse Educator IV Therapy
Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington VT
Educator, Bard Access Systems 

Mari Cordes, BS RNIII VA-BC
Vascular Access Department
University of Vermont Medical Center

nelliepic
What?? My thoughts are why
What?? My thoughts are why would you ever think about putting air into the vascular system?  This is documented in basic nursing material that injection of air into the vascular system could be detrimental to the patient.

Denelle Oliveros RN, CRNI
Nurse Manager
University Option Care
Columbus, Ohio

anna liang
one procedure of injecting

one procedure of injecting air is bubble study with echo -- but isn't it a medical act?

not sure how it is justified for line placement

what does your safety committee say about the practice?

Gwen Irwin
I agree with the previous

I agree with the previous postings.  This is not a practice that I would take on as a prudent nurse.  From years past experience, patients heard saline flushing post PICC without air bubbles.  The value of injecting air in this manner is low and the risk is high.  I would definitely recommend a tip locator system, before advocating this weird practice!

Gwen Irwin

Austin, Texas

needles
I started a team in IN in a
I started a team in IN in a small community hospital and apparently, the clinician that was contracted to place their lines prior to me coming on board, injected air into the PICC andhad the beside nurse auscultate over the chest. The nurses there asked me why I didn't have them listen to the patient's chest after I place the line. I was astonished! Never heard of that before. But now someone else asks the same question. That is just bizarre :/
Dan Cochran RN
I am shocked that this is a

I am shocked that this is a practice that any prudent RN would use. I have never heard of this practice.

kokotis
Kathy Kokotis Bard Access

Kathy Kokotis

Bard Access Systems

Some MD taught them this is my guess.  Just like the rampant use of stiff wiring that I come accross every day it seems.  My suggestion as you work for a vendor is to give this team a copy of the IFU's and inform them that what they are doing is not in the labeled use of indications.  I would also review their P/P and see if this procedure is in their P/P.  If it is not they are performing a procedure not santioned by the hospital.  That is the best you can do.

Kathy

Kathy Kokotis

Bard Access Systems

Karen Day
Karen Day's picture
I'm with Mari - I had to

I'm with Mari - I had to read this 3 times too.  I can't believe someone would be doing this practice - even if an MD showed you this.  Reminds me of what our parents used to always ask us - if your friend jumped off a bridge would you too.  Even in the instances of a bubble study during an echo, it is done with a physician present and in a controlled setting with probably much less air that they are injecting through this picc line.

Wow, unbelievable.

 

Chris Naylor
Wow. Unbelieveable!
Wow. Unbelieveable!
needles
[quote=Cheryl Kelley] As an
[quote=Cheryl Kelley]

As an educator for Teleflex, I see many practices.  I would like your input on the following situation. The PICC nurses are injecting AIR into the PICC after it is placed.  They do it at the time in the procedure that many nurses inject saline and ask the patient if they hear water or bubbling in their ear.  Ever heard of this?  What are your thoughts?

Cheryl

AKA fruitloop

[/quote]
needles
In my case, I believe a MD

In my case, I believe a MD showed him to do that as well as read his own Xrays. Too funny cause IN doesn't allow that...............I could go on, but I will leave it at that.

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