SPECIAL SESSION: Profile of Professor Claire Rickard's Research Program in the Field of Intravascular Access Devices

Description/Overview: The majority of hospital patients require an intravascular device, whether venous or arterial, to receive vital treatment such as hydration, nutrition, chemotherapy, dialysis, antibiotics and other medications, hemodynamic monitoring, and diagnostic blood testing. Such treatments are frequently disrupted by complications, whether infiltration or dislodgement of a peripheral line, thrombosis caused by a peripherally inserted central catheter, iatrogenic anemia associated with arterial line blood draws, or life threatening bloodstream infections associated with central venous or any vascular access device. The Intravascular Access Device Research Group at Griffith University is one of the leading groups in the world in undertaking research and leading evidence-based practice change in the area of vascular access. Led by Professor Claire Rickard, who has been researching in this area for 16 years, the group includes nurses, doctors, researchers, scientists, economists, microbiologists and statisticians. Working with clinical specialists in cancer care, intensive care, emergency, infection control and infectious diseases, and the general medical and surgical areas, the group aims to make vascular access complications history.