05/13/2026
A PICC line was ordered.
The patient needed 2 weeks of IV antibiotics at a Skilled Nursing Facility, and on paper, the order seemed straightforward.
But when our vascular access clinician arrived and reviewed the patient’s history, something didn’t sit right.
The patient already had:
• An existing chest port
• Chronic kidney disease
• A history of pulmonary embolisms
• Multiple comorbidities, including cancer
Adding a second central line could introduce risks the care team may not have fully considered. What started as a routine PICC placement quickly became a much bigger clinical question:
👉 Should another line be placed at all?
Instead of immediately proceeding with the ordered procedure, the clinician paused, performed a full assessment, collaborated with the facility team, and advocated for a different path... one that avoided unnecessary risk, preserved vasculature, and prevented an invasive procedure the patient may not have needed.
Sometimes the best vascular access decision… is no new line at all.
👉 Learn the outcome of this clinical case here: https://bit.ly/3PmrYJ4