Developing a vascular access team.

Abstract

remit of the vascular access team at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust was to reduce the rates of intravenous (IV) access-associated complications and bacteraemia by improving patient assessment and care of IV access devices. The principle drivers of Winning Ways (Chief Medical Officer, 2003) and Saving lives (Department of Health (DH), 2005) were the need to reduce infection associated with invasive devices. With central venous catheter care one of the top five high-impact interventions, the challenge is to ensure the dissemination and application of best practice. The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice (Department of Health, 2015) states that providers must audit compliance with key policies and procedures for infection prevention. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) assesses compliance to ensure the care people receive meets essential standards of quality and safety. In 2008, the key challenges facing the team were: patient safety, high bed occupancy, costly antibiotics, procurement and education. Today the vascular access team comprises registered nurses and allied health professionals who have developed extensive specialist knowledge, skills and competence in effective patient assessment, bedside device insertion, maintenance and care. The benefits of a vascular access team are well recognised both locally and nationally (Jackson, 2007; Meyer, 2012; Walker et al, 2013; Chopra et al, 2015). Such benefits can include: ■ A reduction in device-related complications, including catheter-related bloodstream infections Developing a vascular access team