Rad techs may or may not be required to have a state license -
depends upon your state laws. The board of nursing would have nothing
to say about their practice. There is a professional organization and
they do have standards and guidelines - all can be found at
www.asrt.org.
The holistic patient assessment piece will be missing from the rad
techs practice, and to me this is a huge missing piece. I have had
many techs in the classes I teach and hold them accountable for the
same information as the nurse. If I am precepting a tech, I would
expect the same from them as a nurse. Also, if the tech is going to
the bedside, they must learn nursing processes for PICC insertion. So
I don't think it is appropriate for a physician to precept them. The
nursing procedures are quite different from the insertion processes
used by radiologist when they have fluoroscopy, longer wires, etc.
Lynn
At 9:51 PM -0700 9/12/06, joyce varhola wrote:
Hi,
I am presently giving PICC classes and mentoring RNs in
a hospital (I am a contracted RN). The DON, DOES NOT want
a dedicated PICC team, but a large number of RNs trained for
bedside PICCs, primarily ICU & IMC RNs. I have submitted info
pro dedicated PICC team.
In my next class in two weeks, there is a radiology tech enrolled.
He presently places PICCs and I understand, also goes to the
nursing units with the unltrasound & starts difficult IVs. I hear
that he is quite good and had placed PICCs in CA. Her wants to
have the didactic of the class and plans to do bedside PICCs. I
understand that our state doesn't take a stand on this. Also,
DON feels that it is okay.
My question is how many states are there that the rad techs
place PICCs? Who does the mentoring of these individuals?
What kind of liabililty do I have as an RN, if I mentor this tech?
In the past whenI worked at another facility, the Interventional
Radiologist was reponsible for the Rad tech in special procedures
who was placing PICCs .I feel that the IR MD should be the one
to precept this individual, as they are not under nursings protocal.
I am completing skills check lists on all PICCs done per individual,
submitting them with a closing summary.
I called the State Board of Nursing re my mentoring and they
couldn't offer any information. Do the radiology techs placing PICCs
have any kind of guidelines, etc. like the RNs have? For example,
we have INS, Nurse Practice Act and Nevada State Board of Nursing
Practice Advisory Opinion.
I finally have a meeting scheduled with the Director of Nursing
Thursday morning to update her and discuss how the program is
going-as they totally put the cart before the horse!
I would appreciate any feedback that you can offer and can be
e-mailed at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you in advance.
Joyce
--
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
