Members of a recently formed Nursing team has been sharing their expertise in a new practice at the hospital, using ultrasound guidance technology to help clinical teams more safely and accurately insert different types of catheters to draw blood from patients, or inject fluids or medication needed for medical procedures.
The Nursing Vascular Access Team (NVAT) is the first of its kind in the province, with specialized training in using technology to perform a medical intervention that was traditionally restricted to physicians. Since forming this past summer, the NVAT service took off rapidly, with the hospital’s nursing units, Infectious Diseases Clinic and Emergency Department consulting the nurse-led team several times a day.
The second phase of the project was launched in September, with ultrasound-guided insertions of PICC lines. As these longer catheters are placed in a deeper vein that extends nearer to the heart, the procedure for positioning them can be more challenging. By using Sherlock 3CG technology, nurses have been able to confirm the correct placement of the PICC line.
This not only spares the team and the patient the extra step and delays of an x-ray, but reduces failed attempts at IV insertion, which can be painful and distressing for the patient. NVAT also performs daily follow-ups on hospitalized patients with catheters.
Clinical teams and JGH patients have benefited from the NVAT’s specialty training and approach, as they ensure that the right catheter is given for the right treatment. The NVAT nurses’ novel technique minimizes patient discomfort, reduces diagnosis and discharge delays, and promotes more timely access to care.