RN Vascular Access Team

SUMMARY:

Assists physicians and nursing staff in management of patients with vascular access devices. Assesses, plans, implements, evaluates and documents patient care and patient education related to vascular access devices, including insertion and maintenance.  Serves as a consultant to physicians, nurses, staff, and families/support for the education, appropriate selection, and management of vascular access devices. Serves as patient advocate and clinical expert in best practice related to vascular access devices in alignment with the Infusion Nurses Society (INS) standards and TMC policy and procedures.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The clinician acts as a patient advocate; maintains patient confidentiality, safety, and security; and respects promotes, and preserves human autonomy, dignity, rights, and diversity.

Provides direct patient care, evaluates outcomes, consults with other specialists as required and adjusts nursing care processes as indicated to ensure safe patient care and alignment with INS standards.

Adheres to INS standards, TMC policies, and procedures in daily work.

Infusion therapy is provided with attention to quality and patient/health care provider safety.

Care is individualized, collaborative, evidence-based, culturally sensitive, and appropriate to patient/caregiver age and level of cognition.

Identifies and collaborates with all members of the patient’s health care team toward the universal goal of safe, effective, and appropriate infusion therapy and vascular access. Know the roles of the team members to improve collaboration and clinical decision-making to reach optimal performance for all clinicians.

Works with other members of the interdisciplinary patient care team, implements and reinforces patient instructional needs with patient and family offering informational material and pointing out special areas of concern.

Evaluates outcomes of patient care, consults with other specialists as needed, and adjusts nursing care processes as necessary to ensure optimal patient care.

Engages in quality improvement activities related to vascular access, assist in implementation of a just culture, assess current gaps in practice, and eliminate barriers to change to advance safety and excellence in infusion administration and vascular access device insertion and management.

Ethical principles are used as a foundation for decision-making

Adheres to and supports team members in exhibiting TMCH values of integrity, community, compassion, and dedication. 

Adheres to TMC organizational and department-specific safety, confidentiality, values, policies and standards.

Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: Graduation from a qualified, nationally accredited nursing program. BSN preferred.

EXPERIENCE: One year of nursing experience in an acute care setting preferred.

LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION: Current RN licensure permitting work in the State of Arizona and Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.  Vascular Access Certification preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:  

• Knowledge of vascular access management required to ensure optimal patient care for the patient requiring vascular access.
• Knowledge of human vasculature, vascular access devices, diagnostics related to vascular access placement and management, INS standards and TMC policy/procedure, and risk and contraindications of placement and management of patients requiring therapies associated with vascular access devices.
• Skill in communicating in a clear and concise manner with physicians, nurses, staff, and families/support to serve as patient advocate, consultant, and clinical expert for vascular device management to ensure the proper care of patients.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to complete all required documentation, routine reports, and correspondence.
• Ability to speak and communicate effectively. 
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.