Vascular access management is the comprehensive category of products, solutions and services providing a continuum of vascular access care, from patient assessment to device removal, designed to reduce vascular access related complications.
Every vascular access patient's journey is unique and full of variables:
Intravenous therapy is so common that it may be easy to forget there is potential for harm. Problems may arise when placing a vascular access device, from infections and occlusions, to dislodgement and phlebitis. These complications are a major cause of vascular access device failure. By better understanding the potential for risk, you can be better prepared to prevent patient complications.
A catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) is when the catheter is identified as the source of the infection.2* Signs and symptoms to look for include erythema; edema; any pain or tenderness or drainage and/or fever.2** There are extraluminal and intraluminal areas that could be potential spots for contamination, leading to CRBSIs from risk of breaking asepsis during insertion or care and maintenance; seeding bacteria from another site of infection; and ingress of bacteria due to non-intact dressing or suboptimal insertion site.3*
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S147.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S106.
3*. Safdar N, Maki DG. Int Care Med. 2004; 30(1): 65.
When a catheter is blocked, this can either prevent infusion or injection of solution into a catheter, aspirate blood from a catheter, or both.2* Signs and symptoms to look out for include sluggish flow and/or blood return, inability to withdraw blood, flush and/or infuse through the catheter, frequent occlusion alarms on an electronic infusion device, and infiltration or extravasation or swelling and/or leaking at the infusion site.2** Occlusions may be caused by multiple factors, including allowing an infusion to run dry, improper flushing, infusing incompatible medications, or employing an improper clamping sequence.2**
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S153.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S104.
Catheter movement into or out of the insertion site indicating tip movement to a suboptimal position.2* Signs and symptoms include the inability to continue infusion, increased external catheter length since previous assessment and leakage at insertion site. Additionally, if the catheter moves out of the vein but not the skin, it can result in edema, pain, changes in skin color and even progress to blistering and ulceration.2** Risk factors to consider include poor site selection, loosening of the catheter due to inadequate stabilization and lack of proper securement, as well as patient manipulation such as arm or body movement.2†
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S147.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S91.
2†. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S116.
Inflammation of a vein2* could be evident by pain and tenderness, erythema, warmth, swelling and redness at the catheter site.2** There are multiple chemical, mechanical and bacterial issues that could be the cause. These include use of irritating solutions, not allowing skin antisepsis to dry, inadequate hemodilution, improper catheter size or stabilization techniques, breaks in aseptic technique or non-occlusive dressing.2**
2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S153.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S95.
Infiltration occurs when a nonvesicant solution or medication is inadvertently administered into tissue surrounding the catheter site, whereas extravasation occurs when the solution or medication is vesicant.2* When this occurs, the patient may suffer from edema, pain, changes in skin color and fluid leakage from the catheter insertion site, additionally extravasation may progress to blistering and ulceration.2** A myriad of issues may cause infiltration or extravasation, including inappropriate insertion site, inadequate stabilization, difficult access history, medications that alter pain sensation, disease that produces change in vasculature, use of deep veins with insufficient catheter length, and the inability of the patient to report their symptoms.2†
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2*. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S150, S149.
2**. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S99.
2†. Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice. J Infus Nurs. 2016; 39(1S): S98.
Delays in appropriate diagnosis and treatment increase the chances of a negative clinical outcome for patients with these infections.5
This calculator quantifies the estimated clinical and economic impact of antimicrobial resistance.
Calculate the cost of CLABSIs in your facility:
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As a clinician, you’re often tasked to perform one of the most common invasive procedures—placing a vascular access device. With the right training and knowledge, you may potentially reduce vascular access complications and improve patient outcomes. And we’re here to help, every step of the way.
You are a caregiver whose role is to provide patients with a positive experience and the best possible care.
When placing IVs in difficult to access locations, multiple attempts can be stressful and impact the patient experience.
Staying up to date on current evidence-based practices in vascular access as healthcare continues to evolve rapidly.
Finding targeted continuing education resources quickly that meet your developmental needs.
You are a clinical decision-maker whose role requires rapid pairing of patient IV therapy needs with the right vascular access devices.
Delays in patient treatment can affect efficiencies, so you need staff to be confident in gaining and maintaining vascular access in patients.
Changes in science and technologies require you to stay up to date on the latest information for optimal patient care.
Changes in staff or frequent turnover can create variation and gaps between best practices and current practice.
You are the leader responsible for key imperatives that enhance employee engagement, while improving operational, financial and clinical outcomes.
Finding and tracking gaps in vascular access clinical practice that may be negatively making an impact on patient experience and/or economic outcomes.
Arming your team with on-demand training and education resources in a fast-paced industry where clinical practice continues to evolve.
You are a clinical leader who is passionate about reducing risks of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) and improving overall quality of care.
Addressing and reducing risks of HAIs in your facility while ensuring patient care is not being compromised due to lack of consistency of best practices.
Staying up to date on the latest technologies and best practices in preventing HAIs as science continues to evolve.
Changing staff and frequent clinician turnover can create variation in knowledge and expertise resulting in gaps in clinical practice.
You are responsible for managing relationships with the vendor whose products help standardize practice and improve clinical outcomes while maintaining your hospital's economic goals.
Acquiring information about the latest vascular access innovations that provide both financial efficiencies and improved patient outcomes.
Understanding key attributes of vascular access devices that provide both positive patient and economic outcomes.
You are a clinical leader responsible for developing educational programs appropriate for your clinicians of varying levels of experience and understanding.
Developing ongoing clinical training and education programs appropriate for clinicians of varying levels of experience and understanding.
Staying up to date on the latest technologies and best practices in vascular access in an industry where practice continues to evolve.
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With our help, you may see improvements in clinical outcomes with BD products, such as reduction in blood exposure during insertion, increased average dwell time of peripheral IVs and decreased vascular access complications, additionally, your facility could benefit from economic efficiencies with enhanced protocols and best practices.
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Our experienced clinical experts will perform a comprehensive assessment of BD products and clinical practice across your facility, leveraging proprietary digital tools, which will help in developing insightful data.
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You can't see how far you've come unless you know where you began. Our experienced clinical experts will perform a comprehensive assessment of BD products and clinical practice across your facility, leveraging proprietary digital tools, which will help in developing insightful data.
Once completed, we'll provide a detailed, actionable road map to help you standardize and align best practices across the vascular access continuum.
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Since we are a global leader in vascular access devices, you can be confident that the products you are using are engineered to the highest quality and safety standards, backed by years of development and healthcare use. Our goal is to help you provide the best possible care at every step in the vascular access continuum.
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Our clinical teams collaborate with your facility's leadership to develop curricula that addresses your unique BD product training needs, while supporting evidence-based policies and procedures. With a solid educational program in place, you can maintain best practices, which leads to repeatability and sustainability for continuity.
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