Advanced practice organ procurement techniques: insertion of central venous catheters

Placement of central venous catheters by organ procurement coordinators to assist in obtaining blood samples or for measuring intravascular pressure is appropriate. Preparation for this role should include appropriate didactic instruction and supervised clinical experience. The organ procurement organization must ensure that such training occurs and must support a continuing quality assurance program for such providers. Policies and procedures must be provided to guide practitioners in site selection, timing of implementation, and titration of measurements obtained. Also, resources must be readily available to treat any complications. This discussion reviews methods for insertion of venous catheters placed in the femoral, internal jugular, or subclavian veins.