Inspiring Tomorrow’s Vascular Access Nurses
Chapin Middle School in South Carolina held a Career Day for 7th and 8th graders, and invited members of the community to share information about their professions. The Career Day line up included politicians, lobbyists, members of law enforcement, boat manufacturers, medical personnel and more. Students rotated through several 20-minute blocks to learn about the various career paths.
When Josh, a vascular access nurse with Vascular Wellness, was invited to participate, it was an extra special ask. Not only is his mother a teacher at the Chapin Middle School, but Josh attended Chapin as a student years ago.
Josh shared what it’s like to be a Vascular Access nurse in a hands-on, interactive session that was extremely popular among students. Using Vascular Wellness’ educational information on its website and printed materials, he explained the different types of devices that vascular access nurses place in patients and how they’re used. Then students were invited to take a closer look and actually hold in their hands some of the catheter kits he uses to place vascular access lines in patients. Josh even brought his ultrasound machine and showed the students how to use it. They learned how to scan their arms to see veins, which was very exciting for the students.
Students asked an array of questions, including:
“How much money do you make?” (Not a surprise!)
“Do you place lines anywhere besides the upper extremity?” (Josh had shared that in most states, our nurses place small and large bore Internal Jugulars and Mid-Thigh Femorals)
“How do you know the line is in the right spot?” (Josh described the Sherlock/ECG technology we use and how it typically can eliminate the need for a chest X-ray)
Josh shared, “When I was an 8th grader, I had zero aspirations of working in the medical field, nor did I have a clue what a PICC line was. When asked to present at Chapin Middle School for Career Day, I saw an opportunity to educate young students on my current role at Vascular Wellness, as well as the endless career opportunities in the nursing field. Students were given a brief background on why I chose to pursue nursing, my education, and prior nursing jobs.”
He continued, “Students were given a basic anatomy lesson of the vascular system that led to an in-depth explanation of my current role as a Vascular Access Specialist. [Then] we gathered as a group at the front of the classroom for some interactive Ultrasound training, followed by a “needleless” PICC insertion simulation. Students were intrigued, and I was greeted with many questions throughout the presentation. Overall, a wonderful experience and hopefully it gave students a better picture of a day in the life of a Vascular Access Nurse.”
Truly Inspiring Tomorrow’s Vascular Access Nurses…
Katherine Yeoman, GCDF, Career Specialist at Chapin Middle School said,
“Career Day at Chapin Middle School was a huge success because of speakers like Josh. This day allows our 7th and 8th grade students exposure to the world of work and the opportunity to hear first-hand about various careers and how to prepare for their futures.”
“Many of our students have an interest in careers in healthcare, specifically nursing, and hearing from Josh was invaluable. Josh did an amazing job relating to our students (he was actually once a Chapin Middle School student himself) and providing information about careers in nursing and the education required. What middle school students love most is hands-on learning, and Josh did just that! He had students engaged through his entire session and he was one of their favorite speakers. Students, and teachers, had an informative and fun day – we could not have done it without Josh!”
Want to know more about What a Vascular Access Nurse Does?
In general, a Vascular Access Nurse provides access to a patient’s circulatory system through the insertion of a small, thin tube called a catheter. The degree of complexity of the catheter (aka, the Vascular Access Device (VAD)) in the body can range from Peripheral IVs (PIVs) and Midlines, contained in the arms, all the way to Central Venous Catheters (CVCs), including Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs), Axillary lines, Internal Jugulars (IJs) and Mid-Thigh Femoral lines (Fems).
Continue reading about What a Vascular Access Nurse Does below…
What makes Vascular Wellness the Right Choice?
- Large & small bore line placement by Experts
- 7 days/week, including after-hours & holidays
- 24/7 call center
- 3-hour average response
- Dialysis catheters
- 0% insertion-related infection rate
- >98% success rate
Learn More about Vascular Access Services from Vascular Wellness.
Not only are we Inspring Tomorrow’s Vascular Access Nurses, but we also place the right line at the right time, the first time. Call us at 877-284-4435 or email us to learn more. No upfront cost or commitment to get started.
If you require Vascular Access or want to learn more, speak to the team at Vascular Wellness today.
For the latest articles and insights, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Vascular Wellness provides:
(1) Comprehensive vascular access services to North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia; and
(2) Customized vascular access services to Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia; and
(3) Support vascular access services to Ohio and Kentucky.
