IVTEAM beat nursing shortage

July 7, 2008

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Dan Ast is a member of the IV therapy team at Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Joseph Campus.

As the nursing shortage worsens, Via Christi has adopted new ideas to make up for vacancies, things like the specialization of nurse tasks like those carried out by Ast and his team.

His bosses say these ideas have saved nurse time and improved care in spite of the shortage.

“It’s pretty simple how we can help,” Ast said, leaning back in his chair in his blue scrubs. “We’re nothing special compared with any other nurses, but we specialize in placing IVs, so we get really good at it. It’s not easy to place an IV, so a nurse on rounds might take 30 minutes to find and gather all the materials, then find the vein, then place it.

“I can do it all in 10 minutes or less.”

Saad Ehtisham, the senior vice president and chief nursing officer for Via Christi Wichita Health Network, said the IV team and other specialist teams created at Via Christi have become invaluable at a time when the vacancies have left hospitals 8.8 percent short of the registered nurses they need.

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