If you are talking about the hospital that I am thinking about in
this same situation, I wonder if there is any hope of them changing. I
also would not use those catheters. So before I accepted the patient I
would insist they be changed or I would refuse to accept the patient.
Once you accept the patient, my understanding is that you are then
obligated to provide their care. Also do you have data of
complications with their catheters? You can also have your legal dept
find documentation of a case in Volusia County FL that resulted in a
huge settlement for the patient with a midclavicular locationi.
Lynn
At 2:27 PM -0500 3/15/06, Dawn Ellis wrote:
I am continuing to see midclavicular catheters being placed in one of the largest most (supposedly) progressive hospitals in the nation. I am not sure how to handle this problem. I consult for a long-term care pharmacy and some of my facilities admit patients with midclavicular caths because the hospital informed them the resident had a PIC, not PICC. I have educated the staff and our procedure manual states that we need a chest X-ray prior to using any type of central line. When calling the attending physician for the long-term facility and advising him of the complications that may arise, he still insists on using the existing line. My advice to the facility is that I would not use this line for 6 weeks of vancomycin or any other medication that should not be infused peripherally. I feel that I have been beating my head against the wall for 4 years now and I am still not sure why this hospital with a vascular access team is not doing the correct placement. Thoughts? Advice? Help?
Dawn D. Ellis, RN, CRNI, OCN
Clinical Nurse Consultant
Neil Medical Group
800 862 4533 ext 3443
--
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RNC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
http://www.hadawayassociates.com
office 770-358-7861
