Vascular Access Nurse PRN

Clinical Assessment and Device Selection

• Assess patients for appropriate vascular access based on diagnosis, anticipated length of therapy, medication characteristics, vascular history, renal status, and overall clinical condition.
• Collaborate with providers, pharmacy, and nursing staff to determine the most appropriate vascular access device, including peripheral IV, ultrasound-guided peripheral IV, midline, PICC, or referral for alternate central access.
• Review orders for appropriateness, completeness, and safety prior to line placement.
• Identify contraindications or concerns and escalate to the ordering provider when a requested device may not be appropriate.

Insertion and Procedural Responsibilities

• Insert PICC lines, midline catheters, and ultrasound-guided peripheral IVs according to organizational policy, competency validation, and evidence-based standards.
• Use ultrasound guidance, maximal sterile barrier precautions when applicable, sterile technique, and appropriate skin antisepsis during procedures.
• Measure, select, and place the appropriate catheter size, length, and number of lumens based on patient need and vessel size.
• Confirm catheter tip location according to organizational protocol, which may include ECG-based tip confirmation, radiographic confirmation, or other approved methods.
• Maintain patient comfort, privacy, safety, and education throughout the procedure.
• Discontinue vascular access devices when ordered and within scope of practice and policy.

Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Complication Prevention

• Assess existing vascular access devices for patency, securement, dressing integrity, signs of infection, infiltration, extravasation, thrombosis, migration, occlusion, or other complications.
• Provide troubleshooting and intervention for line occlusions, dressing concerns, difficult access, and device-related complications within policy.
• Support compliance with CLABSI prevention practices, dressing standards, hub disinfection, securement, flushing, and line necessity review.
• Escalate concerns promptly to the provider, nursing leadership, infection prevention, or other appropriate resources.

Consultation, Collaboration, and Staff Support

• Serve as a clinical resource for bedside nurses, providers, case management, pharmacy, procedural areas, and the emergency department.
• Provide consultation for difficult IV access, appropriate line selection, discharge planning needs related to vascular access, and line care questions.
• Assist in developing and maintaining vascular access workflows, policies, procedures, order sets, and documentation tools.
• Promote consistent practice across departments and support patient throughput by responding to consults in a timely manner.

Education and Competency Support

• Educate patients and families on vascular access purpose, care, restrictions, signs of complications, and when to report concerns.
• Provide education, coaching, and competency support for nursing staff related to IV therapy, line maintenance, flushing, dressing care, and escalation of concerns.
• Support onboarding, annual competency validation, and remediation related to vascular access practices as assigned.

Documentation

• Document assessment findings, indication for access, device type, catheter size and length, insertion site, vessel accessed, number of attempts, confirmation method, patient tolerance, complications, education provided, and handoff communication.
• Document line care, troubleshooting, dressing changes, removals, and follow-up actions according to organizational policy and regulatory expectations.
• Ensure documentation supports continuity of care, billing capture when applicable, quality review, and regulatory readiness.

Quality, Safety, and Performance Improvement

• Track and report vascular access metrics as assigned, including number and type of lines placed, first-attempt success, complications, line-associated infections, inappropriate line requests, and consult response times.
• Participate in CLABSI reduction efforts, infection prevention rounding, chart reviews, audits, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Review trends and assist with action plans to improve vascular access outcomes, reduce unnecessary central line utilization, and improve patient safety.
• Maintain knowledge of current vascular access standards, evidence-based practice, and organizational policy updates.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required.
• Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Georgia required.
• Minimum of two years of acute care nur