PICC LINE PLACEMENT
It happens many times a day at every hospital in the country ... an intravenous (IV) tube is inserted into a patient’s vein to help deliver fluids, medicines, or nutrition. However, when it is a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) line, a special kind of IV, it can be a tricky task. And, it takes a nurse with special training and experience to make sure it’s done correctly. Albemarle Hospital has several of these highly skilled nurses and now offers both inpatient and outpatient PICC line placement.
A PICC line is a long, thin, flexible tube that is inserted into a vein in the patient’s upper arm, and then forwarded through the vein into the Superior Vena Cava (an area near the heart where there is a large volume of blood circulation). These lines are most commonly used to administer chemotherapy (strong drugs used to treat cancer), antibiotic therapy (powerful drugs that fight bacterial infections), irritant drugs (drugs designed to irritate tissue as part of the cure), and parenteral nutrition (a liquid mixture that provides patients the nutrition they need if they cannot eat, or are otherwise not getting the nutrients their body needs to get or stay healthy). The PICC line works efficiently, and lasts much longer than a regular IV.
“A PICC Line is an excellent alternative for patients who must receive multiple injections of medicine, or who have ‘rolling’ veins that make it difficult for nurses to accurately inject medicines or start IVs,” said Janette Whitely, RN, Albemarle Hospital’s PICC Nurse Coordinator. “PICC lines are safe, can aid in reducing infection, and can stay intact for up a year, or longer if needed, as directed by the patient’s physician. Also, they allow some patients who require long-term antibiotic therapy to be discharged from the hospital sooner, because the PICC line remains in place.”
At Albemarle Hospital, all four registered nurses who insert PICC lines have completed special training, including training on the BARD Access System (the ultrasound equipment used to help identify appropriate veins and guide insertion of the line). Two have also completed advanced PICC line training at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, another University Health Systems affiliate, in Greenville.
“In addition to placement of PICC lines for patients admitted to the hospital, we offer outpatient PICC services, and we can accommodate most requests from physicians or other area care providers the patient may have,” said Whitely. “It’s a great service to offer, because PICC lines can facilitate such effective treatment options. I’m very proud to be part of a team that can bring this type of skilled healthcare to our communities.”
If a physician is recommending long-term IV medication, chemotherapy, or nutrition for you or a loved one, ask if a PICC line placed by the specially trained staff at Albemarle Hospital is appropriate.
