PA Hospital’s first nurse-led bedside PICC insertion service launched in July last year is continuing to infuse outcomes with the project data showcased as a nursing innovation contributing to improved patient care and financial outcomes.
The service, which enables specially trained CNs and CNCs to insert peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) at the bedside, rolled out in July 2023 as a pilot program with the goal to save $1.1 Million per year based on 700 insertions with a saving of $1431 per insertion (SCUH data).
PAH Clinical Nurse Consultant and project leader Matty McDonnell has presented the outcomes of the pilot as part of a Magnet® Exemplary Narrative Showcase saying the service is enhancing patient outcomes by fast-tracking both PICC bookings and insertions.
“The nurses are also able to insert PICCs on average in 35-45 minutes increasing delivery efficiency, and reducing the wait time to 24 hours on average,” Matty said.
“The outcomes have proved to be better for the patient. The sooner we can get the line into that patient for total parenteral nutrition (TPN), blood transfusion or antibiotics; the sooner they are getting the treatment they need. Plus, we are delivering this more economically.”
On top of that, the service has improved financial accountability with 1.0 FTE additional Clinical Nurse operating the nurse-led initiative daily compared to the average cost for inpatient PICC insertion by a Radiology Registrar.
“Pre intervention, our average costs for each PICC insertion were around $1,698,” Matty said. “After introduction of the nurse-led service, our costs were down to just over $700 per insertion – a saving of almost $1000 per PICC.
“Since the start of the service, we have done 768 PICCs. So far, that’s a saving of $754,944,” he said at the time of reporting in September 2024.
By the numbers, the service is infused with benefits. Trained nurses can go to the patient’s bedside to complete the procedure with the assistance of 3CGTM technology which saves the involvement of four or five clinicians and an x-ray to confirm the placement in radiology.
While x-ray is still part of the procedure for patients with cardiac complications, to date, VAST have inserted 881 PICCs with 84 per cent not requiring an xray.
“It’s great to be part of a nursing innovation that has such clear data to celebrate the outcomes. This was possible with the support of Director of Infection Management Services, Dr Geoffrey Playford and the Vascular Access Service Team (VAST) for their commitment to training, positive change, and overcoming the challenges.”