three years ago, she quickly developed an interest
in improving the patient experience and
outcomes through optimal VAD use and joined
the unit’s newly formed vascular access
management program. “PICC use is a topic I got
into for professional reasons. It was professional
curiosity; we wanted to improve. We realised that
many times the vascular access of our patients
ended up exhausted. We recognised the need and
value of PICCs, but the only service that could
cannulate PICCs was vascular radiology. Critical
patients usually need technology for life support
and moving out of the unit is very risky and
complex.” In addition, ICU patients often require
infusions of multiple medications. PICCs allow for
multiple simultaneous infusions. “Sometimes we
need more than 2–3 central lines because our
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VAD selection should be tailored
to each patient’s needs, taking
into account the length of therapy,
number of lumens required,
flow rates required, need for blood
draws, patient preference, and
whether or not the patient will be
discharged on therapy 2