Implementing an emergency department vascular access team: A quality review of training, competency, and outcomes.

Implementing an emergency department vascular access team: A quality review of training, competency, and outcomes. J Vasc Access. 2020 Jun 02;:1129729820924554 Authors: Bell JA, Spencer TR Abstract Peripheral intravenous catheters are frequently used devices in emergency departments. Many patients now present with difficult anatomy and are labeled as difficult intravenous access patients. A common technology to address this challenge is ultrasound. While studies have examined the ability to train emergency staff, few have addressed how this should be done and the outcomes associated with such training. No studies were found with dedicated vascular access specialist teams in emergency departments. An emergency department vascular access specialist team was formed at a hospital in Bangor, Maine, United States to train, validate, and proctor clinicians with ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous devices. A quality review of this process was compiled and determined that appropriate clinicians with dedicated training and guidance can achieve higher levels of procedural success. Furthermore, evidence substantiates that frequent practice is linked to a higher quality of care and that a significant need for such teams is present. This review examines how a team was implemented and its impact both department- and facility-wide. It is possible that hospitals benefit from the services of vascular access specialists to provide higher quality c...
Source: The Journal of Vascular Access - Category: Surgery Tags: J Vasc Access Source Type: research