The ins and outs of venous access: part I.

Selection of the proper venous access device is important to maximize patient benefit and minimize patient discomfort, morbidity, mortality, and cost. The decision of which device to use is based on whether or not the patient requires central venous access and whether the need is short-term (<6 to 8 weeks) or long-term. Short-term venous access devices include short peripheral IV catheters, midline catheters, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), and central venous catheters (CVC). This article reviews each of these short-term devices and their indications, contraindications, advantages, and disadvantages. Part 1 covers Venous Anatomy and Short-Term Venous Access; Part 2, to be published in the June issue, covers Long-Term Venous Access.