Can you describe how you are charting line necessity in your electronic medical record? What are the choices that are allowed? What if there isn't a continued need for the CVC? Does it create a task for you or for the physician?
We don't have this yet, but would love to hear what you do and how well it works for you.
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Since no one responded, does that mean it is not charted in the electronic medical record?
Curious.
Gwen Irwin
Austin, Texas
Gwen
In our EMR it asks if the line is neccessary at the point where you document assessment of the line. It allows you to check YES or NO and add a comment.
Darla Tarvin RN VA-BC
Mercy Clermont Hospital
Someone, usually the nurse, must be doing this assessment and documenting it. If it is no longer needed then it must be removed. This will probably require a physician order depending upon your policy so it will create the need for both the nurse and physician to be involved. Lynn
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
I agree, Lynn. But I am wondering what does it look like for those who have it in their EMR. I hope that someone out there has information that they would share with us.
Gwen
I agree, Lynn. But I am wondering what does it look like for those who have it in their EMR. I hope that someone out there has information that they would share with us.
Gwen
If the nurse checks the box, it means that she assessed that the line is needed. It is far from perfect but much better than the previous absence of documentation of this important evaluation.
France Paquet, RN, MSC, VA-BC(TM), CVAA(c)
Clinical Practice Consultant, IV therapy and Vascular Access
Transition support office
McGill University Health Center
Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
In what our hospital calls the "Invasive Line Assessment" in our EMR, we have a box with all of the INS reasons for needing a cvc. Every day we check the reason or we select no longer needed. The reasons are no peripheral access, IV therapy needed for more than 6 days, administration of irritants or vesicants, etc., directly from the INS. If you check "no longer needed" you have to document that you notified the physcian that the cvc was not meeting criteria any longer and removal of the line is necessary.
We use the EPIC system. Our physician daily notes have templates, and this is one of the areas. It lists the types of lines, then the MD enters whether the line is needed or not and why (meds, therapy, etc.). This is covered twice a day in our PICU when they do rounds at the bedside. The team is there and this is called out for all of the lines.
Janine Pritchett, RN-BC, BSN, VA-BC
Clinical Educator - Vascular Access
We are in process of revising our CVAD documentation and our nurses will eval and document twice daily the indication for continuing the CVAD or that the provider was contacted regarding line removal.
IV access will be a category for providers as well as we expand their electronic documentation.
Keely Ralston RN-BC, VA-BC, CPUI, RCIS