A catheter placement system configured for accurately placing a catheter within the vasculature of a patient, the catheter placement system comprising for improving catheter placement accuracy: 1) an ultrasound-assisted guidance system for introducing the catheter into the patient's vasculature; 2) a magnetically-based tip location system for tracking of the catheter tip during its advancement through the vasculature path; and 3) an ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart from which the ECG signals originate, the ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance system including means for passing ECG signals from the catheter disposed in a sterile field of the patient to a tip location system sensor disposed in a non-sterile field separated from the sterile field by a sterile barrier , the catheter placement system further comprising a tether conveying ECG signals from the catheter to the tip location system sensor , the tether being operably connected to the tip location system sensor via a tether connector , the tether connector including one or more piercing contacts for piercing the sterile barrier , wherein the one or more piercing contacts are respectively included on slide arms , and a portion of the tip location system sensor including one or more corresponding contact receptacles , wherein the system is configured such that the sterile barrier is interposed between the tether connector and the portion of the tip location system sensor . 1) an ultrasound-assisted guidance system for introducing the catheter into the patient's vasculature; 2) a magnetically-based tip location system for tracking of the catheter tip during its advancement through the vasculature path; and 3) an ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart from which the ECG signals originate, the ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance system including means for passing ECG signals from the catheter disposed in a sterile field of the patient to a tip location system sensor disposed in a non-sterile field separated from the sterile field by a sterile barrier , the catheter placement system further comprising a tether conveying ECG signals from the catheter to the tip location system sensor , the tether being operably connected to the tip location system sensor via a tether connector , the tether connector including one or more piercing contacts for piercing the sterile barrier , wherein the one or more piercing contacts are respectively included on slide arms , and a portion of the tip location system sensor including one or more corresponding contact receptacles , wherein the system is configured such that the sterile barrier is interposed between the tether connector and the portion of the tip location system sensor . the ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance system including means for passing ECG signals from the catheter disposed in a sterile field of the patient to a tip location system sensor disposed in a non-sterile field separated from the sterile field by a sterile barrier , the catheter placement system further comprising a tether conveying ECG signals from the catheter to the tip location system sensor , the tether being operably connected to the tip location system sensor via a tether connector , the tether connector including one or more piercing contacts for piercing the sterile barrier , wherein the one or more piercing contacts are respectively included on slide arms , and a portion of the tip location system sensor including one or more corresponding contact receptacles , wherein the system is configured such that the sterile barrier is interposed between the tether connector and the portion of the tip location system sensor . <EOS>