Our facility is looking to change PICC brands. I am interested in knowing what brands other facilities prefer and why. Also any recurring problems you may have had with a brand.
You as a clinician needs to trial as many products as your contracts allows. All PICCs are good and the FDA approved them all to deliver the prescribed therapy. They are all are used across the country successfully. You need to decide for yourself and your organization. Some have huge cost savings advantages over others. The difference is in the tray configurations. Problems occur with all PICCs, it’s the patient population the number of attempts and when the patients gets the picc that creates the problems not the PICCS its self. Money saved on products means more nurses at the bedside. I challenge you to look at yourself and ask where your loyalty is……..is it with the vendor or your hospital. In the end it’s your JOB at risk…… do what’s best for your organization!
I have used multiple brands of lines, and I don't know if you are bound by buying contracts. My preference is the MedComp line. The kit can be purchased with or without the insertion supplies (gown, saline, drapes). They have regular and power PICCs, and the pricing is the most reasonable I have seen. I have not had one problem with these lines. The company also makes ports and all kinds of lines besides PICCs. I do not work for or represent this company - just a very positive experience.
When I was doing this research for my facility, I asked myself the opposite question. Why do we need to change? I listed all of the reasons we were unhappy with our current product and looked for a PICC that didn't seem to have those issues. There are some excellent products available and price should be only one of the factors. My best advice is to attend either the AVA convention this fall or INS in the Spring and look at what the vendors present, keeping in mind your patient population.
You as a clinician needs to trial as many products as your contracts allows. All PICCs are good and the FDA approved them all to deliver the prescribed therapy. They are all are used across the country successfully. You need to decide for yourself and your organization. Some have huge cost savings advantages over others. The difference is in the tray configurations. Problems occur with all PICCs, it’s the patient population the number of attempts and when the patients gets the picc that creates the problems not the PICCS its self. Money saved on products means more nurses at the bedside. I challenge you to look at yourself and ask where your loyalty is……..is it with the vendor or your hospital. In the end it’s your JOB at risk…… do what’s best for your organization!
Very well said!!! 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
Office Phone 770-358-7861
It's like buying a car...you test drive your options and find one that works for you. Same with PICC: Do your homework and test drive a few!
I have used multiple brands of lines, and I don't know if you are bound by buying contracts. My preference is the MedComp line. The kit can be purchased with or without the insertion supplies (gown, saline, drapes). They have regular and power PICCs, and the pricing is the most reasonable I have seen. I have not had one problem with these lines. The company also makes ports and all kinds of lines besides PICCs. I do not work for or represent this company - just a very positive experience.
Halle Utter, RN, BSN
Intravenous Care, INC
Hallene E Utter, RN, BSN Intravenous Care, INC
When I was doing this research for my facility, I asked myself the opposite question. Why do we need to change? I listed all of the reasons we were unhappy with our current product and looked for a PICC that didn't seem to have those issues. There are some excellent products available and price should be only one of the factors. My best advice is to attend either the AVA convention this fall or INS in the Spring and look at what the vendors present, keeping in mind your patient population.