Vascular Access

Infusion-Related Infection Prevention: Ignoring Little Details Can Lead to Big Problems

Nancy Delisio, RN, had a “frightening” phone call from a nurse who was trying to insert a PICC line. “The line wasn’t threading correctly, so she was calling us,” says Delisio, a nurse educator with the Infusion Nurses Society (INS). “What was she doing inserting the line, ...More
May 16, 2013
Posted in Articles, PPE & Standard Precautions
Following CDC Protocols Cuts Dialysis Bloodstream Infections in Half

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released results of its Dialysis Bloodstream Infection Prevention Collaborative showing a 32 percent decrease in overall bloodstream infections and a 54 percent decrease in vascular access-related bloodstream ...More
May 13, 2013
Posted in News
Department of Veterans Affairs Chooses ViaValve Safety IV Catheter for Dallas VA Medical Center

Smiths Medical announces that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs awarded Smiths Medical a contract to purchase the company's Jelco® brand ViaValve™ Safety IV Catheters for its Dallas VA Medical Center. "Providing the highest quality medical devices and technology to ...More
May 7, 2013
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
AVA Foundation for Education and Research Receives Major Grant from Association for Vascular Access

The AVA Foundation announces it has received $200,000 from the Association for Vascular Access (AVA). This action underlines the support from AVA and its members for the foundation and its mission of saving lives through risk-free vascular access. "We are extremely grateful ...More
April 7, 2013
Posted in News
Catheters Linked with High Risk of Infections, Heart Problems and Death in Dialysis Patients

Dialysis patients using catheters to access the blood have the highest risks for death, infections and cardiovascular events compared with patients using other types of vascular access, according to an analysis appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American ...More
February 22, 2013
Posted in News
Hospital Reports Record Span of Zero CLABSIs

A California hospital reported that its vascular access team has gone nearly seven years without a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in any of its peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines. The facility has recorded no CLABSIs, which are ...More
January 3, 2013
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
Study Finds Use of Disinfection Cap is Associated with Fewer Bloodstream Infections

Patients at NorthShore University HealthSystem are now better protected against potentially deadly infections, according to a newly published study. The research found that use of a disinfection cap on catheters and tubing reduced infection of central intravenous catheters ...More
January 3, 2013
Posted in News, PPE & Standard Precautions
Chlorhexidine Partners Network to Offer Webinar on Chlorhexidine in Vascular Access

The Chlorhexidine Partners Network (CPN), a new organization composed of leading makers of patient safety technology, is sponsoring a free webinar on the importance of chlorhexidine use to protect patient safety during vascular access. The network also recently launched its ...More
November 12, 2012
Posted in News
Access Scientific, Inc. is Acquired by Endeavour Capital

Access Scientific, Inc. (ASI), a provider of over-wire vascular access technology, announces that it has completed an acquisition agreement with Endeavour Capital. ASI manufactures The POWERWAND® extended dwell, power-injectable midline IV catheter inserted by means of The ...More
November 7, 2012
Posted in News
Presentation at AVA Conference Outlines Research in Comparative Effectiveness of Vascular Devices

The type of IV connector used in vascular access is closely linked to a patient’s chance of getting a dangerous bloodstream infection, according to two new studies. The studies compared several different types of needleless IV connectors. A zero displacement IV connector ...More
November 6, 2012
Posted in News