New curriculum will be provided free of charge to medical, nursing, respiratory therapy, and other allied healthcare schools in the United States to improve instruction on peripheral IV access
On October 5, 2020 the Association for Vascular Access (AVA) and B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun) announced a long-term collaboration to improve training on the placement of peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs). Together the organizations will develop and provide a new series of online courses free of charge to medical, nursing, respiratory therapist, and other allied healthcare schools – the first of which is being piloted at several leading nursing schools.
Vascular access is the most common invasive procedure performed in healthcare, with more than 380 million PIVCs placed in patients annually in the United States.1 However, between 33-69% of PIVCs fail before the completion of treatment and more than 50% of adults describe insertion as moderately painful or worse. Collectively, this can lead to serious implications for patients, including increased costs and length of treatment.2
In addition to jointly developing the “Fundamentals of Peripheral IV Access” eLearning module series to increase the vascular access skills of healthcare professionals, AVA and B. Braun will create a certificate program for students who complete the courses that will attest to their foundational knowledge in PIVC placements with future employers.
“Studies have proven that current training programs are not consistent across schools in how or when they teach future clinicians about the insertion, care and maintenance of peripheral catheters.3 Our intent is to offer a solution to standardize training in this area, which we believe will make long-term improvements in healthcare in the years to come,” said Judy Thompson, MSNEd, RN, VA-BC™, AVA director of clinical education. “We are proud to partner with B. Braun to offer free access to this best-in-class curriculum to students at hundreds of universities and medical schools. It is also fitting that this new curriculum – which helps advance AVA’s mission to protect patients and improve lives by creating evidence-based innovations in vascular access – is being announced on the second annual Vascular Access Specialty Day.”
The eLearning module will feature interactive graphics and hi-definition videos in addition to the necessary text critical to enhancing the PIVC education in healthcare. It will focus on key aspects like proper device placement, assessment, and insertion to instill confidence in students of all skill levels.
“In my early years of teaching, I worked with thousands of students to start their first PIVC. The manual dexterity required to navigate the equipment, patient emotions, and for that matter, the student’s anxiety required a calm and keen eye for multiple physical and emotional cues,” said Christine Vandenhouten, PhD, RN, chair and professor of nursing and health studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. “The PIV curriculum will elevate the knowledge and skill of nursing students and nurses across the U.S. and beyond. I am thrilled to incorporate this evidence-based curriculum into our pre-licensure BSN program.”
“Our partnership with AVA and the academic institutions that are piloting the ‘Fundamentals of Peripheral IV Access’ curriculum gives us the opportunity to make a big impact on an area of patient care that is ripe for improvement,” said Stephen Withers, RN, director, clinical support and services, B. Braun. “The failure rate of PIVC insertions is not acceptable. We believe this program is an important step to change that by increasing students’ skill sets on a practice that for many will become a part of their daily care routine.”
Several pilot studies of the curriculum will be conducted through the rest of the year, and the program is expected to be broadly released during the 2021 academic year. Additional information on the “Fundamentals of Peripheral IV Access” curriculum, including details about how to participate in the pilot program, is available at www.avainfo.org/PIVEducation.
ABOUT
The Association for Vascular Access (AVA) was founded in 1985 to promote the emerging vascular access specialty. Today, AVA stands at the forefront of protecting and saving lives via establishing best practices and promoting patient advocacy. AVA’s multidisciplinary membership advances research, provides professional and public education to shape practice and enhance patient outcomes, and partners with the device manufacturing community to bring about evidence-based innovations in vascular access. To learn more or join, visit www.joinAVAnow.com.
B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative medical products and services to the healthcare industry. Other key product areas include nutrition pharmacy admixture and dialysis. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, PA and is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap® and CAPS®.
Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 64,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise® philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, explore our website.
1 iData Research. (2020). US Market Report Suite for Vascular Access Devices and Accessories.
2 Cooke, M., Ullman, A., Ray-Barruel, G., Wallis, M., Corley, A., Rickard, C. (2018). Not “just” an intravenous line: Consumer perspectives on peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC). An international cross-sectional survey of 25 countries. Plos One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193436
3 Hunter, et al. (2018). Addressing the silence: A need for peripheral intravenous education in North America. JAVA. 23(3). pp 157-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.java.2018.06.001