Currently it is our practice for 2 IV Therapy RN's to be at the bedside for PICC insertions. It has been my understanding with the CLABSI bundle that best practice would support this type of staffing. Is there any supporting literature that I could use to provide our administration as they are currently questioning this practice? I also understood that INS standards, with the next revision might be addressing this issue as well.
I am not aware of any studies on this issue, whatsoever! This has never been addressed in a CLABSI bundle. Sorry but you have a misunderstanding about that. As far as the current of the INS standards, since there has never been any studies it was not addressed in the 2011 edition. There would need to be studies for it to be addressed in the next issue of the standards. In my opinion, 2 people is a benefical practice. How can you meet the standards/guidelines for checklists and timeouts when no one is observing. This extra person does not need to be an RN who also inserts PICCs, in my opinion. Many hospitals use medical assistants for this role. The one benefit of another inserting RN is their ability to take up the procedure if the first one is not successful. 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