The state of vascular access teams: Results of a European survey.

Background: Many European health institutions have appointed multidisciplinary teams for the general management of vascular access to help improve efficiency, patient safety and reduce costs. Vascular access teams (VATs), or infusion teams, are specifically trained groups of healthcare professionals who assess, place, manage and monitor various outcomes and aspects of vascular access care.

Objective: To assess the current landscape of vascular access management as a discipline across Europe.

Qualitative interviews and supporting evidence to identify the positive impacts of multidisciplinary vascular access teams.

Background: Vascular access by means of intravenous catheters is essential for the safe, effective and cost-efficient delivery of intravenous fluids, antibiotics, nutrition and chemotherapy, but the use of these devices is not without complications.

Purpose: A faculty of multidisciplinary European vascular access team (VAT) Leads/Members and experts sought to reframe how the implementation of a VAT could have positive impacts on patients and hospitals.

Methods: Interview data from a Faculty of nine VAT Leads/Members and experts from six European countries on the impact of multidisciplinary VATs in modern healthcare were assessed.

Standardization and Chemical Characterization of Intravenous Therapy in Adult Patients: A Step Further in Medication Safety.

Background: Intravenous drug administration is associated with potential complications, such as phlebitis. The physiochemical characteristics of the infusate play a very important role in some of these problems.

Aim: The aim of this study was to standardize the dilutions of intravenous drugs most commonly used in hospitalized adult patients and to characterize their pH, osmolarity and cytotoxic nature to better guide the selection of the most appropriate vascular access.