Nurse picks IV specialty

Nurses often juggle multiple tasks during their shifts, but Michelle Followell, RN, CNN, CRNI, chose to hone in on one specific skill for her nursing career.

Followell specializes in peripherally inserted central catheters, commonly referred to as PICC lines.

PICC lines provide intravenous access for a long period of time. PICC lines are used for chemotherapy, parenteral nutrition or antibiotic therapy.

Followell and a team of specialists insert these lines in patients throughout the metro area.

Followell graduated from nursing school in 1994. She worked as a dialysis nurse early in her career.

“In that time, when I was there, which was only a year, I loved what I did,” Followell said. “When they downsized my position I was devastated.”

Followell transitioned from dialysis and developed a new passion as a vascular nurse.

“Starting an IV is a challenge,” Followell said. “It feels really good to not only get their IV started but get it started in one stick.”

Followell mastered the art of PICC lines and, in 2004, she launched MidWest Vascular Access, LLC. The company provides on-call PICC line nurses.

Followell said many area hospitals lack PICC line teams. Her company provides the services for hospitals that do not have a team on call.

“It saves the hospitals a lot of money because they are not calling in a radiologist,” Followell said. “The need is huge.”

Followell has contracts with more than 30 facilities in the area.

She and her team members use ultra sound systems to find the veins before they put in the PICC line.

“Our nurses don’t go out without it,” Followell said. “With this system we can see the vein and we don’t stick them until we see the vein.”

Followell said her nurses have a 99 percent rate for finding veins.

While Followell does not doubt her skill with PICC lines, she does admit that starting her own business made her nervous.

“My husband was extremely supportive, otherwise I would not have done it,” Followell said. “It’s hard because that (on-call) phone is with me 24/7….It’s not often that I get calls in the middle of the night, but it does happen.”

Followell’s clients say they appreciate the service she and her team provide.

“There’s a good rapport here and they’ve also been able to work really well with our X-ray team,” said Karen Wiegman, Ph.D., RN, director of patient care at Northland Long Term Acute Care Hospital.

Northland Long Term Acute Care, commonly referred to as Northland LTAC, opened in 2008. Wiegman said as a young facility, Northland LTAC does not have its own PICC line team.

“(MidWest Vascular Access) is here a lot,” Wiegman said. “We have good service from them and I enjoy working with them.”

Followell said she enjoys her job, despite the sometimes random hours.

“It’s same day service and we are on call,” she said.

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