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Developing a venous assessment tool in IV chemotherapy administration.
1NHS Lothian, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, UK.
British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|April 17, 2008
Summary
Chemotherapy specialist nurses developed a venous assessment tool (VAT) to identify patients needing central vascular access devices early. This aims to reduce discomfort and improve patient care during intravenous chemotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology Nursing
- Vascular Access Device Management
- Patient Assessment
Background:
- Increasing complexity of intravenous (IV) chemotherapy regimens necessitates enhanced nursing support.
- Repeated peripheral cannulation for IV chemotherapy causes patient discomfort and potential psychological distress.
- Need for a standardized method to identify patients benefiting from central vascular access devices (CVADs) early in treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development and rationale of a novel venous assessment tool (VAT).
- To identify patients who would benefit from early central vascular access device (CVAD) insertion for IV chemotherapy.
- To outline potential benefits of the VAT for nurses and patients.
Main Methods:
- Development of a venous assessment tool (VAT) with a scoring system by chemotherapy specialist nurses.
- Consultation with pharmacists, oncologists, and other cancer care practitioners during VAT design.
- Focus on identifying patients suitable for central vascular access device (CVAD) insertion at treatment initiation.
Main Results:
- The VAT provides a structured approach to venous assessment for IV chemotherapy patients.
- Early identification of patients needing central vascular access devices (CVADs) can be facilitated by the VAT.
- The tool aims to minimize patient discomfort and nursing challenges associated with repeated cannulation.
Conclusions:
- The developed venous assessment tool (VAT) offers a systematic method for optimizing vascular access in chemotherapy patients.
- Implementation of the VAT has the potential to improve patient experience and nursing efficiency.
- Further refinement and validation of the VAT are planned for future implementation.
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