I am looking for several people for input here: when I read examples of CVC policies and articles defining the educational and experiencerequired of nurses training for this new task, I often see. "extensive experience" as the term used. What would yourdefintion of extensive experience be?
Curious Myself...
I have never seen a defintion of "extensive experience". My personal choice would be to write policies based on Benner's levels. For learning insertion of CVADs, I would look for a nurse with experience equalling the proficient or expert level. This experience must include responsibility for performing all types of CVAD care and maintenance, all types of infusion therapy, along with recognition and management of all types of complications. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Are you asking the level of extensive experience required for nurse-inserted CVCs?
I think that is also going to be partly determined at a local level with your supportive physicians and clinicians - i.e experience in ultrasound, experience in dealing with CVC-related complications (pneumothorax, arterial puncture, etc), experience with different CVC procedural kits, prior vascular access experience.
I think defining 'extensive experience' can be a little difficult - however it would be expected that a clinician would have a significant amount of relevant vascular access/ultrasound experience and time placing a number of different devices, in different insertion sites, under various conditions.
It also will depend on the individual clinicians backgrounds - oncology has different focus than say critical care, particularly in the management of CVC-related complications.
Timothy R. Spencer, RN, APN, DipAppSci, BH, ICU Cert, VA-BC™
Vascular Access Consultant
That CVC guy from Australia :-}