Establishing a nurse-led central venous catheter insertion service

Background: Health care systems promote care models that deliver both safety and quality. Nurse-led vascular access teams show promise as a model to achieve hospital efficiencies and improve patient outcomes. Objectives: The aim of this paper is to discuss the process of establishing a nurse-led central venous catheter (CVC) insertion service in a university affiliated hospital using a process evaluation method. Method: Archival information, including reports, communications and minutes of departmental meetings were reviewed. Key stakeholders involved in establishing this nurse-led service at the time were interviewed. Results: A nurse-led CVC insertion service was first established in 1996 and has increased in service provision over 13 years. Initially there was scepticism from some medical practitioners about the feasibility of a nurse performing a traditional medical procedure. The service currently provides central venous access across the hospital including critical care areas. The service places up to 500 catheters per annum. Conclusions: Establishing a nurse-led CVC insertion service has increased organizational efficiencies and provided an infrastructure for support of best practice. The support of senior management and medical practitioners was crucial to the successful implementation of this model of care.