Frequently Asked Questions
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Why does it matter what type of vascular access device my patient has?
It is important that the right device is placed in your patient for the IV therapy ordered. Choosing the right device involves looking at the type of drug ordered, the duration of therapy of that drug, the availability of the vessels seen on ultrasound, and the medical/surgical/vascular access history of that patient. Choosing the right device will decrease the risk of infection, infiltration and extravasation and prevent a delay in IV therapy.
RIGHT PATIENT RIGHT DEVICE RIGHT TIME
What is a PICC line?
A PICC line stands for a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter. A PICC line is defined as a long IV that is inserted with ultrasound guidance in the upper arm and threaded to the superior vena cava, a large vessel by the heart, where the tip of the PICC line ends in your central circulation. The PICC line does not go into your heart or harm it in anyway. You may also have your blood drawn through the PICC line to eliminate further needle pokes during the duration of the infusion therapy.
What is ECG technology?
ECG technology is on the stylet that in threaded through the PICC line on insertion. As the PICC tip passes into the lower part of the Superior Vena Cava you will see a spike in the p-wave and will reach max P-Wave. As the PICC tip passes past the Cavo-Atrial Junction you will note a deflection prior to the p-wave. The PICC tip is then pulled back until the deflection disappears. The images is printed and placed in the patient’s chart stating PICC tip was confirmed in the SVC by ECG technology.
Is there such a thing as a STAT PICC Line?
There should never be such a thing as a STAT PICC line…. However, there is an urgency for patient to have secure IV access. As healthcare providers, it is our job to determine the appropriate type of vascular access to initiate the infusion therapy and eliminate a delay. Depending on the medical history and reason for admission, a PICC line may be the best option.
Advocate for yourself, your loved ones, and your patients to make sure the right type of vascular access is used to provide the infusion therapy and eliminate a delay.
What is a Midline?
A Midline is placed with ultrasound guidance in the upper arm and threaded so the tip ends prior to the mid axillary branch or if placed in the forearm the tip ends prior to the antecubital or bend of your arm. REMEMBER a Midline cannot be used for all types of IV medications and you will not always be able to draw blood work from a Midline.
What is the difference between a port and a PICC Line?
A port and a PICC line are both types of central lines because the tip of both lines is located in the superior vena cava (SVC). A port is under the skin and you need a needle to poke through the skin the access the port. A benefit to a port is that you can shower when there is not needle in the port and not worry about an infection since it is under the skin but it needs to be placed by a specialized MD. A PICC line will have a catheter lumen (s) outside of the skin like a small IV so you can connect to the needed IV medications. There is a risk of infection when you shower so you must keep this covered and dry at all times. A nurse can place your PICC line at the bedside. You can draw blood from a PICC line or a Port for lab work.
How important is it to have a blood return?
You must have a blood return in any central line to be able to give IV medications or you risk infiltration or extravasation of the medication that can cause harm to the patient. Cathflo/Activase is an approved medication through the FDA to give through the central line to establish a blood return when needed. Check a blood return prior to every infusion. If there is no blood return contact your provider or you will have an increased risk of infection.
Whether you are looking for infusion staffing, after hours PICC team coverage or vascular access device insertion services, we can help.
If you have never worked with Vascular Access Plus before, please call our 24 hour on call nursing service line at 855-742-2827, where you will be directed to a trained Vascular Access Specialist.
If you are contracted with Vascular Access Plus and need to obtain or send patient consent, MD order for device insertion please proceed to our informational page on how to order services.
If you are in need of home infusion nursing services, please call our 24 hour nursing line at 855-247-2827 or email us at infusiondept@vascularaccessplus.com.
If you would like to learn more about nursing education and CEUs, please visit our education center page or email us at education@vascularaccessplus.com.
We look forward to helping you to expand and improve upon patient care delivery and services in the region.
Vascular Access Plus provides vascular access device insertion, 1st dose of IV therapy and staff relief for infusion therapy needs to facilities, pharmacies and home health care agencies across the region. Since 2008, our Vascular Access Plus infusion specialists have been providing specialized home infusion staffing to Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. Whether you are an individual, a pharmacy, or a home health agency, we can help you meet the needs for home and outpatient infusion safely and effectively.
In a new era, where our immunocompromised patients are increasingly requiring care at home or in secure environments to prevent the spread of COVID, we offer short and long term coverage to help maintain function and health across a wide variety of conditions. Our trained RNs specialize in IV and SubQ infusion of biologics across all patient populations, from infant to geriatric, and are able to travel to meet the needs of homebound, rural and high need patients.
If you are a patient, a home health care administrator, or a pharmacist looking for qualified infusion RNs, we can help meet your needs in a safe and timely manner.
For more information on our home infusion staffing, you can email us at infusiondept@vascularaccessplus.com, visit our information page on how to order services, or call us directly at 855-742-2827.
Vascular Access Plus has been providing high quality vascular access device insertions since 2009. Our Vascular Access Specialists are trained to place peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC lines), traditional midline catheters, Powerglide catheters and peripheral IVs. We enjoy a success rate of 99% and have placed tens of thousands of devices over the last decade. All of our vascular access device insertions are performed using ultrasound guidance, to ensure success and accuracy on the first attempt. With an average PICC procedure time of less than 30 minutes, and the standardized use of 3CG technology, we provide the most efficient route to vascular access insertions in the region.
If you are looking for answers to your patients’ and providers’ needs for safe and effective vascular access, look no further than Vascular Access Plus. We offer customized insertion contracts, including value based options to achieve improved outcomes of care at lower costs to facilities, payors and patients. As an independently owned and operated nursing company we are able to individualize our services to meet the needs of a variety of facilities and care settings. Whether you are looking for services in a rural or home based setting, in a residential care facility, or in a large metropolitan trauma hospital, we are willing and able to adapt our services to meet your needs.
As part of our mission to improve health care outcomes, we offer value added services to each contract. These include our proven cost saving CLABSI prevention programs, staff development and provider training for ultrasound guided insertions and annual educational offerings for all of our contracted facilities. As a standard piece of our company wide attention to innovation and improvement, we also provide individualized quality data analysis that provides insight into how and why a dedicated Vascular Access Specialist team affects patient care.
Each of our Vascular Access Specialists undergoes an intensive three month didactic and clinical training program and is required to complete 50 successful PICC and 25 successful midline insertions as a minimum initial and ongoing annual competency certification. If you are ready to make a difference in the quality of care you provide to your patients, our Vascular Access Specialists can help get you there.
Ready to learn more about contracting with us, even for one time or same day service? Please visit our informational page on how to order services to begin.
You can also contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 855-742-2827, where you will be directed to a trained Vascular Access Specialist.
We launched our VA+ Education and Training center in March of 2018. As a part of our mission to continue to design, implement and diffuse innovative patient care, we knew it was time go beyond vascular access device insertions. So much of what we do is built upon the specialized education and skill set that comes from years of vascular access experience. As dedicated vascular access and insertion specialists, one of our main goals is to educate staff, patients, and healthcare administrators about the best practices for device selection and insertion, as well as safe care and maintenance.
As such, Vascular Access Plus now offers education to nurses in and around the Omaha metro at all of our contracted facilities, as well as in our own classroom and beyond. We have been approved by the State of Nebraska to provide mandatory LPN IV therapy course, which is now required for license renewal by 2021. We also offer a 2 CEU course for RN’s Best Practice: Central Line Care and Maintenance, available for facility inservices or by individual enrollment.
As we journey into a new world, characterized by pandemic response and adaptation to new distance learning platforms, we are building out our standard courses into an online format, and developing specialised online education for IV infusion therapy and biologic medication administration. We look forward to helping RNs and LPNs across the region access online CEUs and education as we all move forward in a COVID affected world.
To learn more about our current course offerings or to enroll, please visit our Education and CEUs pages, email us at education@vascularaccessplus.com or call to speak with us (402) 499-8553.
In addition to contracting with facilities for value based insertion contracts, we provide Vascular Access Specialists for staff relief to other vascular access teams. So if your vascular access team is faced with a short staffing issue, needs supplemental staffing on weekends, night or holidays, or needs coverage during a leave of absence for COVID or any reason, we can help. Vascular Access Plus provides 24 hour a day coverage, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help you maintain your vascular access team.
If your facility is currently using IR for PICC placements and want to eliminate delay of therapy or reduce time to first dose of needed IV medications, we can help by providing after hours vascular access device insertions. As a regional leader in safe and effective device placement, we work with rural and critical access hospitals to ensure that 24 hour coverage is available to meet continuous patient needs. Whether you are trying to augment your current vascular access team, or provide radiology relief, we are able to provide the safe staffing you need.
In a pinch and need to learn more about contracting with us, even for one time or same day staffing?
Just visit our informational page on how to order services to begin.
You can also contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 855-742-2827, where you will be directed to a trained Vascular Access Specialist.