Open Forum

Hello!

A question recently was presented on whether it was appropriate for clinic staff (medical assistants, LPNs, RNs) to perform percutaneous pin pulling.  Does anyone have any insight into this practice, or do you allow your clinical staff to perform this task?  If so, what training/guidelines do you utilize for this task?

Thanks,

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Alexandra Beyer, BSN, RN
Univ of Missouri Health Care
Columbia MO
4172574810
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Hi Alexandra- we do not allow our clinical staff to pull percutaneous pins. From my understanding, perc pin pulling should be done by an APP or a provider. I know there are exceptions to this in systems that have expanded scopes for their RN's where they are trained/credentialed to perform this or have written protocols around it. 

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Lara Rogers-Streck BSN RN AMB-BC CPN
Nursing Administrator
Wellstar Health System
Kennesaw GA
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I reached out to our orthopedics clinic for a response and below is what i was told.

Currently, there is no standardized protocol in place for percutaneous pin removal in the clinic setting. However, this procedure is generally considered minor and non-invasive, and has been safely performed by various clinical staff.
Historically, Registered Nurses (RNs) have removed percutaneous pins after receiving appropriate training. In more recent years, the task has primarily been carried out by Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) and residents.
Although there is no formal competency checklist or written guideline, the training process follows a "see one, do one, teach one" model, emphasizing experiential learning and clinical supervision to ensure safety and consistency.

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Patricia Hughes DNP RN NE-BC
UK HealthCare
Lexington KY
(859) 323-4413
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