About 5 years ago, Gail Sansivero (NP from Albany IR Dept and former NAVAN
President) asked me WHY we still measured upper arm circumferences as there
is no study looking at outcomes with this measurement? It made me question
something we had written in our CVC Maintenance Care procedure since 1990
but I took it for granted that it made sense. Since that time we've moved
into an era of evidence-based practice. I am also faced with a very poor
compliance rate at my hospital with measurements because the staff nurses
change the CVC and PICC dressings. Measuring upper arm circumference is
tricky as well because without marking the arm with a permanent marker, you
can never be sure exactly where someone laid the measuring tape and
measurements are invariably off. so I took it out of our procedure at
least 5 years ago.
Just an opinion...
Nadine Nakazawa, RN
PICC Program Coordinator
Stanford Hospital
From: "Janousek, Patricia" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: PICC measurements
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 11:20:36 -0500
Hi all, We are getting started on ultrasound PICCs, and the question has
come up regarding the arm circumference measurement. Currently with the
traditional approach in the AC, we have always measured 3 inches above
the insertion site. Now we're thinking that may not always be possible
if we place the PICC higher up in the upper arm. Question: is there a
standard guideline that everyone is using, and is the guideline
different for traditional and ultrasound? Thanks so much.
Patty
Patty Janousek, BSN, CRNI
Team Leader, IV Team
Methodist Hospital
8303 Dodge Street
Omaha, NE 68114
(402)354-8760
FAX: (402)354-5266
PAGER: (402)577-9527
EMAIL: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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