I want to do a poster presentation on using Medical Assistants (MA) on Vascular Access Teams. I work at a children's hospital and we use Medical Assistants on our team. Our MA sets up our trays, cleans up afterward, and helps to properly position the patient's arms or legs. Not only that, she orders our stock, enters our data, makes folders up, and copies. It is much more cost effective to use a properly trained MA than to use 2 nurses as the bedside. I would like to get information as to if you use MA's, if so how have they helped your team, and if you don't use MA's why not? Thank you for any information you can give me.
Great topics and idea for a poster. I think Mass General IV team uses this same model for PICC insertion. You might want to contact them. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, NPD-BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Sounds heavenly to have a dedicated 2nd person, who can also do some of the important background work! Your MAs act as your observer for the Time Out and to ensure maintenance of the sterile field?
Keely Ralston RN-BC, VA-BC, CPUI, RCIS
Hello Keely, Yes, our medical assistant does the time out with us and helps to remind people to put their hats and masks on when entering the room. She is very competent and well trained on sterile field setup.
Mary Ann Hayden
Mary Ann Haayden, I would love to be able to correspond with you about using MA's on your team. We at our facility have recently thought about hiring a MA/tech vs another RN. Would you mind if I contact you or I will get you my contact info.. Thanks Marc
We have been using Nursing assistants on our team for approx. 8 years now. They assist us with PICC placements and they also do all of the central line/PICC dressing changes in our hospital. She also does input data for us in our database. She also has been doing handwashing/time out audits on our team. We wouldn't be able to do near as many PICC's in a day if it weren't for her assistance.
Karen Ratz,RN, VA-BC Unity Point St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids,IA