Yup.....it would have scared me! It might be interesting if they could do
some sort of skin test or something to see which of those things the patient
reacted to.......
Alma Kooistra RN, CRNI
----Original Message Follows----
From: "Erickson, Wendy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Anaphylaxsis
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:42:00 -0500
An interesting anecdote for you PICC nurses! My newest most insecure
PICC nurse had quite a weekend. She placed a PICC in a patient, using
MST and ultrasound, and everything went smoothly. She had the dressing
on and had flushed with Heparin and was just beginning to clean up the
sterile field and the patient said she felt funny in the head. They put
her head back thinking she was feeling faint. Then the patient said she
needed a bucket, she was going to throw up, which she did. Then she
said she couldn't breathe! And then she lit up like a Christmas tree
with hives from head to toe! They called for help and the PICC nurse,
scared to death, pulled the PICC out. The patient was treated with
benadryl and O2 and was monitored closely, her symptoms resolved and she
got through it ok. The physician indicated it was an allergic reaction
to something - heparin, lidocaine, the PICC material itself
(polyurethane), who knows.. The chart was marked with both the heparin
and lido allergy.
My poor nurse had the poop scared out of her - as I think we all would
have had! This, of course, was a lady that the PICC nurse had to work
hard at convincing the patient and her son of the benefits of a PICC
line! Anyone ever see this happen? Anything suggestions other than to
not place a PICC in this lady ever again?
Wendy Erickson RN
PICC Service Coordinator
Luther Hospital - Mayo Health System
Eau Claire WI
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