Subcutaneous infusions: a safe, effective, and acceptable alternative vascular access route Venous depletion and the physical and psychological trauma of peripheral venipuncture are a growing concern. Is there a safe, effective and perhaps easy alternative? We now have strong evidence to add subcutaneous access as an appropriate route for subcutaneous hydration infusions for older adults and some evidence for pediatric and perhaps palliative patients for management of mild to moderate d...

Clinically indicated removal has long been the norm in pediatrics and an unofficial policy in difficult-to-cannulate adults to avoid multiple, painful insertion attempts. Now that evidence strongly supports clinically indicated peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) removal for all patients, implementation requires a focused effort, which can be achieved through planned processes using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) framework. Specific considerations incl...

Improving practices to prevent and manage CVAD occlusion, by Associate Professor Amanda Ullman   What do you think is the most common CVAD dysfunction in healthcare? Reading journal articles you'll see most researchers and clinicians focussing on bloodstream infection and thrombosis. But - catheter occlusion, or blockage, is 5 times more common than both of these complications. CVADs are essentially long, narrow tubes, through which we frequently administer viscous fluids, ...

Join us for this 3M Health Care Academy Asia Pacific 1-hour webinar, Friday 28 August 2020, 4pm AEST: Register here ...

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For the postgraduate student, vascular access clinician, or industry professional wanting to beef up their knowledge of vascular access, the Griffith University Vascular Access Devices And Intravenous Therapy: Transforming Evidence course could be the next best step in your career.
The course content has been d...

Needleless connectors are commonly used with continuous infusions, but is this best practice? Back in the not-so-good ol' days when we knew less about bloodstream infections, we'd quickly wipe the rubber cap with an alcohol wipe before connecting a needle to the secondary line and inserting this into the primary line via the rubber cap. We then applied paper tape to keep it in place for the duration of the medication administration. Needlestick injuries were common! Needleless conne...

This excellent evidence round-up from Sarah Chapman at Cochrane covers everything you want to know about the latest evidence for CVC management: Heparin vs normal saline for flushing CVCs Infection prevention measures Antimicrobial-impregnated CVCs Skin antisepsis Dressings Frequency of changing the administration set Prophylactic antibiotics https://www.evidentlycochrane.net/central-venous-catheter-cvc/#comment-373651 ...

Needle-stick injuries in healthcare works are a serious issue that pose a risk of transmission of blood borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis viruses. To reduce the risk of Needle-stick injuries, needleless connectors (NC) were developed. However, NCs are not without their own set of issues. The use of NCs has been associated with an increase in patient blood-stream infections (BSI). Evidence suggests that this is due to the design of the NC impacting ease of decontamination, as complia...

Addie, an 8-month old infant with osteomyelitis, needs IV access for 3 weeks of antibiotics. What device will best ensure successful therapy and low risk of complications? Liam, a 14 year old with cystic fibrosis, is hospitalized for the third time this year with an acute exacerbation. Despite multiple efforts by experienced clinicians, an IV cannot be successfully placed in a peripheral vein. Frustrated, the nurse says, "Let's just put in a PICC". Is this the best cho...