PICC Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the PICC exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 PICC Exam Format at a Glance
📚 PICC Topics to Study (21)
✍️ Sample PICC Questions & Answers
1. What solution is used to flush PICC lines?
To maintain patency and prevent occlusion of PICC lines, they are routinely flushed with either normal saline or a dilute heparin solution. Normal saline is used to clear medication residue and prevent intraluminal clotting, while heparin, an anticoagulant, is often used for catheters that are not in continuous use to prevent thrombus formation within the lumen. The specific solution depends on facility policy and catheter type.
2. During EKG-guided PICC tip confirmation, which waveform change indicates the tip has reached the cavoatrial junction?
EKG guidance relies on P-wave changes: amplitude increases as the tip nears the SVC/atrial junction and becomes biphasic upon entering the right atrium, guiding the clinician to withdraw slightly to the CAJ.
3. When a PICC professional encounters an unexpected result during a procedure, the FIRST action should be to:
Stopping to assess unexpected results is critical for safety and quality.
4. What is the minimum recommended saline flush volume for a PICC after each use per INS guidelines?
A minimum of 10 mL of normal saline is recommended to flush PICCs after each use to clear the long lumen of blood and medication residue.
5. A nurse documents a PICC line with 'sluggish blood return but no resistance to flush.' Which intervention is most appropriate per INS standards?
Sluggish blood return suggests early fibrin formation, and per INS standards the nurse should assess for fibrin sheath and initiate thrombolytic therapy per institutional protocol.
6. How frequently should ongoing assessments be conducted in Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Certified Nurse practice?
Ongoing assessments should follow established protocols and also respond to changing conditions.