Question:
Can blood gases be drawn from a pic line IV?

I am having a pic line put in the day before my surgery, can blood gases be drawn out froom the pic line?    — BEVERLY P. (posted on April 24, 2003)

April 24, 2003
No, Unfortunatel blood gases must be drawn from an arterial line. The pic line is inserted in a vein rather than an aterial artery. If you are nervous about the blood gas draw, communicate this to the hospital. They will give you someone who has lots of experience with blood gases and it doesn't hurt much if at all. When I had my surgery I only had one pre-op and no post-op blood gases done. Hope this helps
   — Janet R.

April 25, 2003
Hi there, I am a nurse in pulmonary medicine, as the last poster stated...you can not have blood gases drawn from a picc line. When they do the blood gases, tell them you want it drawn from your brachial artery rather than the radial artery. They will tell you brachial is deeper, however there is less feeling in the brachial and more room for error without causing nerve damage. The radial (wrist) is very close to the surface and very close to nerves...there for usually more painful. Most of my patients prefer a brachial artery draw. Good luck to you!!!!! Oh...and the blood gases....really are not that bad!!!!!!!!!!!! Sounds worse than it is....usually!!
   — jennap