Vas Cath for Dialysis
Vas Cath for Dialysis is a Large Bore Central Venous Catheter Line placed in the Jugular Vein or Femoral Vein and used for Dialysis to address Kidney Disease and Renal Failure. Vas Cath is a temporary dialysis catheter which can typically be used for up to 30 to 45 days. Vas Cath provides a temporary alternative to Arteriovenous fistula (AV Fistula) and Arteriovenous graft (AV Graft) for dialysis access and treatment and this page further describes its use.
VAS CATH FOR DIALYSIS
Nurse clinician-led Vas Cath for Dialysis services are truly innovative and unmatched by virtually all vascular access nursing companies. Learn how we provide safe, timely, and effective Vas Caths and other Large Bore lines with minimal bleeding or need for blood transfusion due to our expertise in ultrasound needle visualization. Our experienced dialysis patients tell us how easier and gentler our procedure is. We often can provide Vas Caths the same day as the service request meaning dialysis can start promptly after it is ordered whether after hours, weekends, or holidays. This is especially important as organ failure can lead to other organ failure. Our successful clinical outcomes along with enabling nephrologists to focus on other matters has made this an attractive solution for many hospitals.
Kidney Disease or Renal Failure
Kidney Disease or Renal Failure is the malfunction of the Kidney causing the Kidney to lose its filtering ability. As a result of Kidney disease, Kidney failure or Kidney injury, the Kidney shuts down and waste accumulates in the body and the body’s chemical balance gets disrupted. The body is designed to protect the brain, heart, and lungs and thus, when there is trauma or disease, the body will direct all resources including blood to protect those three organs causing the Kidney to lose support and functionality. Symptoms of Kidney Disease or Renal Failure include fluid retention, fatigue, shortness of breath and decreased urine output.
Kidney Disease or Renal Failure
Renal Failure is confirmed by blood labs testing BUN, Creatine, Electrolyte and other markers
Temporary Renal Failure
Temporary Renal Failure can occur and be reversed, allowing the Kidney to return to full functionality. For example, in the case of physical trauma to the body such as in a serious car accident, the body will direct resources to protect other vital organs. The Kidney will start to falter, traditional symptoms will manifest, and blood labs will document the failure. However, as the body stabilizes and heals, the Kidney can as well, sometimes on its own and sometimes with the help of temporary dialysis to perform the function of the Kidney while the Kidney is recovering. Vas Cath Placement can be an effective, efficient and less intrusive procedure than more permanent options such as AV Fistula and AV Graft to enable dialysis.
Vas Cath Placement at the Bedside
Vas Cath Placement at the Bedside is performed by Vascular Wellness, unlike virtually all other nursing companies, and can be advantageous. While Vas Cath Lines can be placed in the interventional radiology department by hospital clinicians, placement of these Lines at the Bedside by Vascular Access Clinicians can prove valuable. Vas Cath insertion and placement at the bedside can be beneficial for many of the same reasons other Central Venous Lines at the bedside can be preferable including more effective infection control, decreased transportation time and expense, easier coordination of treatment, less patient disruption, decreased length of stay for the patient, and improved efficiency and use of resources such as facilities, equipment, supplies, and medical specialists. Since Vas Cath Lines serve the important purpose of Kidney function, speed is critical, especially in the case of suspected Temporary Renal Failure where Kidney preservation and restoration are feasible and desirable. Vascular Access clinicians who can provide Vas Cath placement at the bedside and then read a confirmation X-Ray to confirm tip placement can clear the Vas Cath Line for usage often much quicker than other options. Vas Cath or Temporary Dialysis Catheters at the Bedside serve the important purpose of providing immediate care while reducing the risks of intra-facility transport and without disrupting future care options enabling the patient’s care plan to be carefully developed.
Vascular Wellness placing a Vas Cath Central Venous Line to be used for Temporary Dialysis
Vas Cath Central Venous Line successfully placed, confirmed, and ready for use
Dialysis Catheter Infection Prevention and Control
Dialysis Catheter Infection Prevention and Control is incredibly important because veins are limited and non-renewable resources and treating infections can result in additional vein usage. Vascular Wellness’ approach of placing Large Bore Catheters anatomically lower and near the clavicle, makes care and maintenance of the line much easier than when the Catheter is placed high on the neck. Further, Vascular Wellness has proven success with Statlock Stabilization, a sutureless approach, which further mitigates risk of a Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI). Finally, the Vas Cath can be clinically appropriate therapy when a Permanent Dialysis Catheter becomes infected and must be removed. Since the patient still requires dialysis, the Vas Cath can enable such treatment until the infection is cleared at which point a replacement Permanent Dialysis Catheter can be provided and the Vas Cath is removed. This approach protects the replacement Permanent Dialysis Catheter from acquiring the same infection and then having to be removed as well. Inserting and removing Permanent Dialysis Catheters decreases a patient’s expected life span as veins and arteries get consumed and are no longer available for later use.
Vascular Wellness – Vas Cath Placement Expert
Vascular Wellness is a Vas Cath Placement Expert company and Vascular Wellness has developed the best practices methodology for delivering superior results. In order to perform Vas Cath insertions, each Vascular Wellness Clinician must have advanced vascular access clinician status and have extensive experience in small bore central line placement. Once this prequalification is satisfied, then such Clinician may sit for the Large Bore Insertion Class which includes both a classroom and skills test component. In order for the competency to be completed and for the Clinician to be certified, the Clinician must successfully perform and place 10 Large Bore Line Insertions with a Preceptor. Once competencied, the Clinician is then subject to semi-annual skills assessments to ensure skills maintenance and continued improvement and adoption of the latest best practices. The Large Bore Insertion Class and ongoing semi-annual skills assessments are based on and incorporate recommendations from the National Kidney Foundation, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the Association of Vascular Access (AVA). Vascular Wellness’ approach to Vas Cath Lines improves patient outcomes and preserves veins, potentially expanding a dialysis patient’s expected lifespan.
As of the date of publication:
Vascular Wellness has placed over 7,000 central lines in the internal jugular, femoral, and axillary vessels with zero insertion-related infections and no suboptimal patient outcomes.
For more about how our Vascular Access Nurse Clinicians place Vascaths for Dialysis, read the article “Vascular Access Nurse-Placed Vascaths for Dialysis and Other Large Bore Lines”.
National Kidney Foundation
Centers for Disease Control
Association of Vascular Access
These patient cases highlight some of the interesting Nurse Clinicians in Action cases that Vascular Wellness clinicians have encountered and participated in treatment.
VASCULAR ACCESS SPECIALISTS
As Vascular Access Specialists, Vascular Wellness nurse clinicians are Vascular Access Board Certified (VA-BC), insured, skill-verified, and salaried W2 employees. Vascular Wellness requires semi-annual skill verification ensuring adherence to proprietary policies, procedures, competencies, and best practices. We focus on holistic and comprehensive care and do not follow the pay per procedure model plus performance bonuses used by others that may create some adverse incentives for speed at the bedside versus holistic medical care helping to ensure the placement of the right line at the right time, the first time. In fact, Vascular Wellness employs a Director of Research and Development who not only helps us stay up to date on best practices but helps us continue to innovate and improve upon Vascular Access Services.
Vascular Access Specialists practice holistic medical care, meaning talking to the patient, addressing questions and fears, and performing a comprehensive medical review. Prior to delivering any Vascular Access procedure, the Vascular Wellness clinician reviews the patient’s medical record, including history and lab reports, and independently verifies and confirms the doctor’s order. If our clinician has questions or disagrees with the prescribing doctor, the clinician will consult with the doctor. Our Vascular Access Specialists have earned the trust of many doctors, and such doctors will defer to the clinician’s recommendation by ordering a “consult” as compared to a specific line. Patient safety and vein preservation are critical – which is why a holistic, comprehensive evaluation and Advanced Lines are significant. Other companies claiming to be Vascular Access Specialists may not follow this same approach frustrating medical doctors and nurses primarily because those 1099 Contractor PICC nurses do not place Advanced Lines (i.e, no options other than PIVs, Midlines, and PICCs) and get paid on a pay per procedure model.
In states where nurses are permitted, as Vascular Access Specialists, Vascular Wellness clinicians can provide immediate X-Ray Clearance of lines when tip confirmation is not available or appropriate and X-Ray confirmation must be used. This saves money, time, and coordination with a Radiologist or other doctor and enables the lines to be used immediately to avoid delaying treatment. Quicker therapy leads to better outcomes.
As Vascular Access Specialists, Vascular Wellness uses top rated and hospital preferred supplies from Becton Dickinson (BD), formerly Bard. Superior supplies and services help mitigate the potential for poor outcomes such as bad placement, clotting, infections, and other adverse events. Other companies that are not Vascular Access Specialists may opt for inferior supplies and older equipment.
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Vascular Wellness provides comprehensive, quality, timely, and innovative vascular access services, including standard and advanced line placement, pediatrics, program management, education, training, and infection control and prevention to all healthcare settings such as Tertiary Hospitals, Community Hospitals, Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals, Hospital at Home Programs, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Surgical and Outpatient Centers, Hospice, and At-Home care. We support a 98+% Success Rate with 0% Insertion-Related Infection Rate across all lines, with an average response time of 3 hours. We help our clients improve patient outcomes, enable faster therapy, reduce costs, infections, and readmissions, decrease hospital length of stay, and reduce transportation expenses.
OFFICE ADDRESS
Corporate Headquarters & Mailing Address
Vascular Wellness
151 Quarrystone Circle
Suite 112
Cary, NC 27519
919-226-3694
CLINICAL HOURS FOR DISPATCH
Service Hours extend 2+ hours after Dispatch
Monday-Friday: 8am - 6pm
Saturday-Sunday: 8am - 3pm
Holidays: 8am - 1pm