Cleveland Clinic Now Offers Coveted Vascular Access Class To Non-Cleveland Clinic Nurses

For the first time, Cleveland Clinic is offering its exclusive Basic Vascular Access Class to nurses and nursing students who are not employed at Cleveland Clinic. The in-depth, four-hour class explores knowledge and skills needed for patient safety, prevention of central line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI), and more.

“Since the inception of the Basic Vascular Access class in 2013, it has been extremely popular among Cleveland Clinic nursing caregivers,” says one of the class coordinators, Joyce Brodnik, MSN, RN, CCRN-K. “The class roster fills very quickly and we are constantly being told, ‘I wish I had this information sooner, like in nursing school or shortly after nursing school.’ So we knew we needed to widen our audience for this highly beneficial class, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to now offer it to nursing professionals outside of Cleveland Clinic.”

Other class coordinators include Cleveland Clinic’s Jack Emch, BSN, RN, VA-BC, and Migdalia Serrano-Smith, MSN, RN. The class is intended for any nurse or nursing student who is interested in basic vascular access skills. It is designed to help increase nurse awareness of CLABSI and provide knowledge and skills on how to properly maintain vascular access for patients.

“Nurses are likely to spend more than 80 percent of their time on care, maintenance, administration and documentation of a patient’s vascular access, be it peripheral or central. Additionally, one CLABSI alone can cost between $28,000 and $78,000 in unreimbursed expenses, and no price tag can be placed on the effect of a CLABSI on a patient,” adds Brodnik.

Hands-on skills and training

Throughout the class, attendees learn hands-on skills that promote patient safety and decrease the possibility of a CLABSI in patients. Specifically, attendees will:

• Discuss the importance of a patient’s vascular access, including peripheral IV selection and care
• Identify types and uses of the various central vascular access devices
• Demonstrate the following central venous catheter (CVC) maintenance skills:
  • Dressing changes
  • CVC removal
  • Treatment of partially occluded CVC with Cathflo®
  • Implanted vascular access device (IVAD) access and de-access

Register today

Currently, the Basic Vascular Access class will be held on Saturday, June 3 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and on Wednesday, June 7 from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Classes will be held on Cleveland Clinic’s main campus. View more information on class location, directions, cost and more on the class registration page.

Don’t miss this amazing learning opportunity – register today!

Cleveland Clinic nurses may also attend the class as part of their pre-requisite requirements to becoming a vascular access resource nurse (VARN).