Vascular access
teams and clear escalation pathways, others rely on ad hoc individual expertise. Standardising UGVA as the default for DIVA, paediatrics and geriatrics would help align practice with outcomes.
Ian believes that when it comes to training, gaps exist particularly among advanced nurse practitioners, medical staff, and outreach teams. While resident doctors and advanced practitioners are often the clinicians receiving DIVA referrals, “these may be ‘clinically’ senior, but they are not always ‘practically’ senior.”
Selecting a UGVA device When assessing UGVA technology, clinical teams need to prioritise: l Image clarity and optimisation: Depth, gain, optimal probe availability and speckle reduction functions that reveal small, shallow paediatric vessels, as well as deeper adult veins.
l Portability and connectivity: Devices that move with clinicians – from ward to ED to community - and will integrate with current workflows.
l Ease of use and durability: Ergonomics, interface simplicity, and reliable power management matter in busy clinical settings.
tasked with building capability within teams, via practical on-site training, alongside remote and on-demand workshops. David explains: “Training, hands-on practice and support, plus regional networking, helps clinicians build the skills required. There has to be access to workshops, simulation models, supervised clinical sessions, and cross- disciplinary faculty (nursing, anaesthetics, emergency, and paediatrics) to accelerate skills and improve team communication.”
“Clarity, functions such as depth and gain, and portability are important,” comments Ian. “We train teams using Vygon’s hand-held Vysion ANDY, which has received positive feedback for its compact form factor, clarity, and usability. It can also support access to UGVA beyond specialist areas. “Of course, there are other options on the
market. The product doesn’t need to be complex to use, with all manner of bells and whistles; it just needs to be fit for purpose.” As clinical educators, David and Ian are
Building skills and confidence in UGVA Addressing the gulf in training requires a multifaceted approach. Sean O’Donnell runs specialist Difficult Vascular Access in Children (DVAC) courses and has trained over 200 clinicians across 11 courses since launching his own programme three years ago, when he was fed up of children getting the raw end of the deal from lack of clinician ability to gain appropriate IV access. David and Ian from Vygon’s vascular access education team have joined the sessions, which prioritise real- world skills: ultrasound needle control, device selection, soft-skills communication, and team- based problem solving. Accredited by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health for CPD,
See Beyond Your Vision BeneVision Series Patient Monitor
V Simpliied bedside workkows for patients and caregivers
www.mindray.com/uk
Comprehensive visibility and control
Timely decision support tools
Content intended for healthcare professionals only. March 2026 I
www.clinicalservicesjournal.com 53
t
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
