The purposes of this study were to describe who should be involved in the vascular access device (VAD) decision-making process, according to patients and caregivers, and to describe ifthere were differences associated with persons involved in the selection of VADs according to race and gender. Convenience sample included 32 oncology out-patients and 10 caregivers from the southern United States. There were differences by race and sex in decision-making priorities of patients with vascular access devices indwelling; however, these were not statistically significant. Patients, physicians, and oncology nurses were viewed try both patients and caregivers as significant to the decision-making process. In contrast, caregivers were ranked as the least significant by both patients and caregivers. Females chose the physician as the primary decision-maker while males chose the patient as the primary decision-maker.