Components and Equipment Needed
When preparing to place a PA catheter, the nurse will need to gather the necessary supplies for the physician. It is best to follow your policy and procedure guidelines to assure you have all the necessary equipment. The equipment that is universal to most facilities is as follows:
- IV pole with transducer holder
- Pressure bag
- 500cc bag of normal saline (or follow your facility policy for fluid)
- PA catheter insertion kit
- Transducer insertion kit
- Sterile gloves (most common sizes for MD's are 71/2 and 8)
- 10 cc normal saline flushes
The following video gives an explanation and visual of the insertion of a PA catheter and its components.