We have just been told that we no longer need to obtain an informed consent to place a PICC line in our facility. I work in California in a large cardiac hospital. It has been determined that because it is a "common procedure" it no longer is needed. My concern is that there are still risks and the patient must be informed of the risk vs the benifit issue. Will we be covered, so to speak by continuing to document our teaching on a teaching sheet listing the potential PICC-related complications. Any ideas. What is every else doing?
I would interpret your facilities position as no longer needing a signature on a piece of paper, but informed consent - the process of educating the patient about all aspects - is still required. Document your education thoroughly along with the patient's understanding of that education.
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
www.hadawayassociates.com
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Kathy Kokotis
Bard Access Systems
I agree with Lynn in that you should document the verbal informed consent and understanding of the risks/benefits to the patient. It would be good to have a patient handbook to hand out to your patients in spanish and english with all this info
kathy kokotis
Kathy Kokotis
Bard Access Systems
In my facility we do not get a consent for PICC lines. When we first started we did but Risk Management told us it was covered under the general consent for treatment. I clearly document PICC line explained to pt and pt agreed to insertion. I do not state risk and benifit per say. I never did for a perpherial IV insertion. I just document as I said disccussed PICC line and agreed to insertion.
Rhonda Wojtas, RN PICC Team
Lowell MA
Rhonda Wojtas, RN,BSN, VA-BC
It is not up the Risk Management or corporate legal or Administration to decide this issue (in California). This is defined by law (regulation with the force of law actually) to be a medical decision. It must be made collectively by the medical staff of each institution, and the answer could reasonably vary from location to location. Regardless of what others do, the inserter has a responsibility to ensure that the patient has the information needed to make an informed choice (not necessarily and Informed Consent).
Tim