Pediatric Patient Requires Compassionate Care is a Vascular Wellness clinical case story about how a pediatric patient with a complex medical history including severe infection, pneumonia, and seizures requires hospitalizations and ongoing vascular access expertise. The Vascular Access Specialists at Vascular Wellness were able to assist this patient and family and this is the focus of this Nurse Clinicians in Action.
Pediatric Patient Requires Compassionate Vascular Access Care
– Clinical Case
To understand this Clinical Case, we must go back to the beginning when this child was an infant. This pediatric patient had a severe infectious event that required central line access and numerous life-threatening hospitalizations made vascular access difficult. During one of his hospitalizations, he had a life-threatening complication with a vascular access device. The parents still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from this event. Due to this history, the child requires periodic, ongoing vascular access services for IV fluid infusion and medications. This has resulted in heightened pain and anxiety for the child and the parents.
Pediatric Patient Requires Compassionate Vascular Access Care
– Diagnosis and Treatment
Facing another hospitalization for their child, the parents decided to do some research on the internet to explore alternative options for IV infusions other than hospitalization. They came upon the Vascular Wellness website and called even though it was 9 pm. As the Vascular Wellness Contact Center is open 24 hours a day with an on-call Vascular Access clinician, the customer service representative immediately put the parents in touch with the on-call clinician. After the parents described the situation to the clinician, the clinician promptly went to the patient’s home and established an ultrasound-guided peripheral line (PIV). This PIV lasted a full week, enabling the child to obtain IV fluids at home without the need for hospitalization. After the initial week, it was determined that continued access was needed, and the Vascular Access Specialist placed a midline catheter, based on the clinician’s clinical judgment and suggestion in consultation with the child’s medical team and parents. This Midline lasted 8 weeks providing reliable access and allowing the child to continue to remain in the home and avoid hospitalization. Vascular Wellness and this family have a special relationship going back a few years and each time the child needs a fluid infusion, the parents call Vascular Wellness. We consider it an honor and privilege to be able to serve this child and family.
Vascular Access Specialists
– Key Points
When a young child needs vascular access services, it can be a difficult time for the child and the parents. The parents may have a hard time hearing and fully understanding that a needle must be inserted in their “baby” to enable catheter placement to start the actual therapy. The Vascular Access clinician must have clinical expertise, empathy, and age-appropriate interventions when working with a pediatric patient.
Ultrasound needle visualization is a game-changer for obtaining vascular access in children. Inserting needles into a child for vascular access without this technology can lead to unnecessary pain with missed attempts and heightened anxiety for the parent and the child. Experienced Vascular Access Specialists trained in compassionate care at the bedside are the right choice for these clinical cases.
Vascular Wellness believes that placing the vascular access device at the bedside is best, regardless of the setting. Given that, while hospitalization or other healthcare facilities may be necessary for many situations, Vascular Wellness recognizes that home therapy can be a better option for patients and families, especially as many types of IV therapy can be delivered in the home which is often a place of comfort and safety. Additionally, there is no need for the stressors and costs associated with transportation.
We were honored to receive the following statement from the parents of this special child which captures our passion for what we do….
“Our son is the only known survivor of a severe neurological infection and sometimes requires IV hydration and medication for extended periods of time to keep him out of the hospital. His condition also makes it extremely difficult for him to receive usual peripheral IV lines as his vasculature is prone to collapse and his veins blow easily.
Desperate for a better solution we searched the Internet for possible alternatives to peripheral IVs or going to the hospital and being admitted. Vascular Wellness fulfilled this unique need for us. They’ve come to our home several times and placed a midline which can last up to a month and is safer than a central line that gets placed near the heart in the hospital. We appreciate the collaborative conversation that Vascular Wellness has with us and we are beyond grateful that they listen to our concerns. Knowing that a midline can be safely placed in our home gives us peace of mind. Midline access has never been offered to us at the hospital and we had no idea it was an option.
The team at Vascular Wellness is amazing and we are so grateful for the services that they offer! The team is exceptionally well trained and experienced. Additionally, they respond immediately when needed and are constantly on-call and available at any time and their response time is immediate.
What sets them apart is their immeasurable compassion and high level of patient care focus and provide individualized and customized patient care that is exceptional — they’ve changed our son’s life and ours.
It is so reassuring to know that they exist to help us during the horrible times when my son is doing especially poorly and can help him stay at home and suffer less and get what he needs. These treatments have been incredibly life-improving for my son!”
With deepest gratitude, The Makaloff Family
Nurse Clinicians in Action is a spotlight series highlighting some of the interesting cases that Vascular Wellness clinicians have encountered and participated in treatment. These cases involve challenging situations or intriguing clinical presentations and may involve more than one Vascular Wellness clinician, as our clinicians have the ability to consult each other while in the field, as well as an on-call Clinical Administrator via a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability) compliant communication app. In addition, our extensive training program and diverse client base, including Level 1 Trauma Centers, Short Term Acute Care Hospitals, Long Term Acute Care Hospitals, and Skilled Nursing Facilities, provide our clinicians with a wide array of clinical experience and why we believe our clinicians, as a group, are the most experienced and best trained and supported vascular access clinicians.
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, South Carolina, and Virginia; and
(2) Customized vascular access services to Tennessee, Georgia, and West Virginia; and
(3) Support vascular access services to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky.
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