Extract:
“Establishing reliable vascular access in children can be difficult and distressing, particularly when repeated failed attempts lead to pain, procedural anxiety, and long-term healthcare aversion. While interventions like the Comfort Promise aim to reduce the burden of failed peripheral IV (PIV) attempts, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are increasingly preferred in pediatric care for their ability to provide safe, durable access for medications, parenteral nutrition, and blood sampling. PICC insertion requires technical skill and often sedation or general anesthesia, factors that can delay care and limit who can perform the procedure.
In response to these challenges, the IWK Health (Halifax, Canada) introduced an anesthesia-led PICC insertion service in 2020 to provide timely vascular access in pediatric inpatients with high success rates. Staffed by anesthesiologists and anesthesia assistants, this service was not designed to replace existing providers such as Nurse Practitioners (NPs), but rather to supplement them, particularly in urgent, technically difficult, or after-hours cases. Outcome data from anesthesia-led PICC services in pediatric settings remain limited. This report provides additional insight into the feasibility, effectiveness, and safety of this model.”
Reference:
Kiberd MB, Comeau JL, Jreige S, MacInnis M, Dumbarton T. Implementation of a peripherally inserted central catheter service by pediatric anesthesiologists and anesthesia assistants. Can J Respir Ther. 2026 Jan 12;62:1-3. doi: 10.29390/001c.154938. PMID: 41541066; PMCID: PMC12803477.