Vascular Access Nurse

General Summary

This professional provides the service of vascular access and care to all inpatients in need of establishing access for intravenous (IV) therapy. The role includes starting peripheral IVs, including long PIVs, extended dwell catheters, and bedside midline catheter placement; providing dressing care for central and peripheral venous access lines; performing arterial blood draws when appropriate; and training other professionals in vascular access skills.

The professional is proficient in the use of ultrasound guidance for placement of difficult venous access lines and participates in monitoring and data compilation for vascular access information. They understand and integrate the needs of neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients in regard to their growth and development process and actively support the hospital and department’s quality goals and service excellence principles.

• Coordinates and consults with the patient’s nurse and Licensed Independent Practitioner (LIP) to determine the purpose for the service, the type of device, the type of fluids/medications to be infused, and the duration of the device need to assure appropriateness of the device.
• Coordinates vascular access with phlebotomy needs for the patient.
• Takes age-appropriate measures to minimize pain and anxiety (e.g., topical anesthetics, deep breathing, and distraction) during the patient’s vascular access experience.
• Labels and handles all phlebotomy specimens according to Lurie Children’s policy.
• Performs repair of central venous access lines as needed per Lurie Children’s Policy.
• Coordinates and performs central venous access site assessment and dressing changes according to the applicable Lurie Children’s policies.
• Acts as a consultation provider for complicated central line associated skin injuries (CASI).
• Serves as the clinical resource and expert for vascular access, central or peripheral, throughout the hospital.
• Assesses the patient’s venous system and therapy indications and collaborates with the multidisciplinary team to determine the most appropriate type of venous access, while considering length of therapy, vessel preservation, type of medication, and needs of the patient.
• Assesses requests and prioritizes service calls according to the patients’ clinical status and the purpose for the service need.
• Acts as a patient advocate by collaborating with the patient’s LIP to identify the appropriate vascular access device for the patient based on the anticipated use of the device and length of time the device will be in use.
• Communicates to the patient’s care providers any findings that may be relevant based upon nursing assessment of the patient’s clinical or psychosocial status.
• Documents all vascular access services provided on the patient’s medical record including consultative services, patient/parent teaching, and placement of a vascular access device, pain assessment and site checks.
• Assists in policy and procedure review for all relevant policies, assists in product evaluations, and decision‑making for vascular access devices, dressings and related equipment.
• Collects and compiles daily data to provide records of vascular access team activities and service requests.
• Contributes to hospital quality assurance and improvement activities and participates in research activities as needed.
• Participates in the design and production of worksheets, data collection tools, and teaching products.
• Provides teaching on vascular access, aseptic technique, site & dressing care and assessment and venous access skills to nurses and physicians.
• Participates in central line rounding in the ICU settings and acts as a unit liaison to a specific unit as their vascular access specialist.
• Checks physician orders, verifies patient’s identity using two identifiers prior to any procedure.
• Assesses patient for allergy history (including latex) or site restriction prior to vascular access procedure and recognizes and takes appropriate action to treat adverse reaction to vascular access experience (e.g., fainting).
• Uses all related equipment according to manufacturer recommendations.
• Engages parent/significant…