Get to Know the Vascular Access Team

Did you know Benefis has a small team of nurses dedicated to keeping patients comfortable while placing specialty lines? They are the Vascular Access Team, and while they spend much of their time placing and caring for patients with peripherally inserted central catheters or PICC lines, they apply their skills in units across the system. 

The team is instrumental in writing policy regarding line placement at Benefis. In fact, they researched and selected the new midline model to help solve a problem with frequent clotting. 

The team is comprised of three nationally certified vascular access specialists, Meghan McGrath, RN, Stevie Gore, RN, and Kelsey Pearson, RN. 

Here is a list of some of the skills and focuses the team applies in their work:

• Evaluate patient vascular anatomy using ultrasound guidance.
• Provide for patient comfort and decrease the risk of venous access-related complications such as thrombus, phlebitis, or vessel stenosis.
• Place long- and short-term venous access devices such as PICCs, midlines, and peripheral IV catheters. 
• Work collaboratively with the provider team to determine appropriate venous access device selection and provide for patient understanding of the plan of care.
• Work within the multidisciplinary team and collaborate closely with infection prevention, care coordination, infectious disease, intensive care, oncology, nephrology, other various specialties and the hospitalist team to develop a safe, comprehensive plan of care for patients.
• Continuously research up-to-date, evidence-based practices for use of long-term venous access devices.
• Research and write policies for the hospital regarding central lines and other long-term venous access devices. 
• Work with equipment representatives and device companies and conduct research to ensure the best possible selection of devices for use in our facility.  
• Conduct physical rounding and collect data for infection prevention on all inpatient central lines and report data for CLABSI risk factors, indicators, and quality measures.