Submitted by Beverly Moore, IV Therapist, Danville Regional Medical Cent on Fri Mar 5 09:56:05 2010
What classes related to IV therapy, central lines, and IV push do you put new hires through? Please break it down to RNs and LPNs separately. We have been putting all RNs through a central line class that includes PICC removal and declotting. I think LPNs should have a shorter class (currently get none) since they are assigned to patients with central lines even though they do not use them. They should be able to recognize complications and what type of line it is.
Do you put all RNs through an IV therapy class?
What about LPNs? Our LPN school here teaches the same material that I do.
What about IV push? RNs and LPNs or just LPNs?
Hi Gina, I'm wondering if you
Hi Gina, I'm wondering if you can post or attach your course outline or course materials thru the website. I think it is such a good idea to teach new nurses before it's more difficult to change their habits. Thank you.
Depends on their scope of practice
In many facilities, the state scope of practice deliniates what can be/should be taught to LPNs regarding IV therapy, sometimes they do so for RNs also. I would get a copy of your state nurse practice act to see what they say about the requirements for education of RNs and LPNs. My other suggestion for you is to reach out to your Central Line and/or PICC line manufacturer. Many have Clinical Specialists that can teach your policies as well as best practices based on INS and AVA guidelines and standards. A good company provides this support without cost to the hospitals to allow PICC RNs to focus on the patient, or work with the hospital staff to create an educational program for the hosptial staff.
Chris
Chris Cavanaugh, CRNI
training of new employees
The education director has asked me to speak to the new nursing hires; both LPN and RNs. I usually talk for 2 hours about central lines, placement, care and complications. I do all the management and dressings of all the PICC lines, so I do go over dressings , blood draws and trouble shooting in the event they need to do this in my absence. We do have a skills checklist that they are checked off in after the class and the proper return demonstrations, verbalization etc.
I have also done a required class for all nursing on prevention of Blood stream infections. We also do annual skills fair where staff are checked off on competency of different areas that their leaders assign. I will be doing teaching on; central line dressing changes, infection prevention, line removal and instillation of cathflo. Once again, I usually do all the care and trouble shooting of the lines. There will be several charge nurses etc who will be trained to assess a line and instill cathflo if needed, as well as removal of lines.
Hope it helps. Gina Ward R.N.
Gina Ward R.N., C.P.A.N
We did teach a class monthly
We did teach a class monthly for all new hires,but that stopped partly because so busy with PICC's and limited number trained to do them.RN's and LPN's were taught the same..we covered basics of starting an IV (but they were not expected to do this task) and basic central line management, flushing and lab draws..reviewed complications, etc. Lynn is right , we are the in-house experts and should be involved with training and continuing education.
Angela Williams RN BSN CRNI
Clark Memorial Hospital
Jeffersonville IN
In Indiana LPNs can do IVs
In Indiana LPNs can do IVs and central lines if they have been trained by an RN and have performed good return demonstration. I am the infusion coordinator for Home Health Pharmacy and I am responsible for all the infusion training for the home health and hospice nurses. I developed an LPN central line training that consists of 3 full days in the classroom lecturing on all aspects of IVs/central lines. They demonstrate on my manakins then I go out with them for a minumum of three visits for each type of central line and dressing changes. If I feel they are doing a good job, I let them go on there own. If not, I have to go with them until I feel they are good to go. New RNs get a condensed version of the LPN training. I spend about a day and a half in the classroom setting and go out with them until I feel they are good to go on their own. Not sure if this helps in other settings or not. I have material I developed for this that I would be happy to share.
Valorie Dunn, RN, BSN, CRNI
Home Health Pharmacy Infusion Therapy Coordinator
St. Elizabeth Regional Health
Lafayette, IN
I noticed that no one has
I noticed that no one has responded to your question. I was actually curious to know this information as well. Does this lack of response actually mean that the infusion nurses do not get involved with these classes? I hope not. I also monitor the staff education listserv and there are always infusion related questions being posted. We are the inhouse subject matter experts that should be teaching these classes. As you know, competency must be established during orientation of new hires. So the organization must decide if they want to support the individual with a class about internal P&P, equipment, etc or just jump right in to a clinical assessment of the individuals performance. I think there is a wide variety of what is actually happening. Also, the scope of practice for LPNs varies greatly from state to state. So what works for them in your state would not be apporpriate in another state. I have taught a 6 week precepted class for LPNs who were going to work on the IV team and critical care, but in other states they would not be employed for these jobs because the regulations prohibit them for doing the needed tasks. The bottom line is clinical competency and this may or may not require class time. Or the education can be delivered using online processes, other computer based materials, or printed materials with the indivudual expected to be self-directed in learning this information. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Blog http://hadawayassociates.blogspot.com/
Office Phone 770-358-7861