Vessel Health and Preservation (Part 1): A New Evidence-Based Approach to Vascular Access Selection and Management

Vascular access for the infusion of medications and solutions requires timely assessment, planning, insertion, and assessment. Traditional vascular access is reactive, painful, and ineffective, often resulting in the exhaustion of peripheral veins prior to consideration of other access options. Evid...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of vascular access 2012-07, Vol.13 (3), p.351-356
Main Authors: Moureau, Nancy L., Trick, Nancy, Nifong, Thomas, Perry, Cathy, Kelley, Cheryl, Carrico, Ruth, Leavitt, Michael, Gordon, Steven M., Wallace, Jessica, Harvill, Monte, Biggar, Connie, Doll, Michael, Papke, Loreli, Benton, Lori, Phelan, Deborah A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algorithms
Catheterization, Central Venous - adverse effects
Catheterization, Central Venous - instrumentation
Catheters, Indwelling
Central Venous Catheters
Critical Pathways
Equipment Design
Evidence-Based Medicine
Humans
Original
Patient Safety
Patient Satisfaction
Patient Selection
Program Development
Treatment Outcome
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Vascular access for the infusion of medications and solutions requires timely assessment, planning, insertion, and assessment. Traditional vascular access is reactive, painful, and ineffective, often resulting in the exhaustion of peripheral veins prior to consideration of other access options. Evidence suggests clinical pathways improve outcomes by reducing variations and establishing processes to assess and coordinate care, minimizing fragmentation and cost. Implementation of a vascular access clinical pathway leads to the intentional selection of the best vascular access device for the patient specific to the individual diagnosis, treatment plan, current medical condition, and the patient's vessel health (1). The Vessel Health and Preservation (VHP) programme incorporates evidence-based practices focused on timely, intentional proactive device selection implemented within 24 hours of admission into any acute facility. VHP is an all-inclusive clinical pathway, guiding clinicians from device selection through patient discharge, including daily assessment. Initiation of the VHP programme within a facility provides a systematic pathway to improve vascular access selection and patient care, allowing for the reduction of variations and roadblocks in care while increasing positive patient outcomes and satisfaction. Patient safety and preservation of vessel health is the ultimate goal.
ISSN:1129-7298
1724-6032
DOI:10.5301/jva.5000042