Consumer Engagement

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Welcome to our community story hub! Here, you can read inspiring stories from others who have navigated their journey with AVATAR. Your story could be the beacon of hope someone needs.

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Resources for Consumers

CVAD Resources for Patients - Discover valuable patient information resources on Central Venous Access Devices (CVAD) from eviQ and Cancer Institute NSW

DIVA Resources for Patients - The following information is designed to assist you, the person with difficult IV access (DIVA) to help you understand how common DIVA is and explain how it may affect you so that you can talk to your doctor or nurse about this next time you need an IV drip.

ABC RN-Breakfast Interview

Discover the challenges and costs of inefficient IV treatment practices in Australia, as reported by ABC RN-Breakfast.

Australia is failing to adopt international best practices for IV treatment, costing the health system around $700 million annually. Despite leading in vascular access research, the country struggles with high IV device failure rates and associated complications. Read more about it here.

Publications

Cooke M, Ullman AJ, Ray-Barruel G, Wallis M, Corley A, Rickard CM. Not "just" an intravenous line: Consumer perspectives on peripheral intravenous cannulation (PIVC). An international cross-sectional survey of 25 countries. PLoS One, 2018. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0193436.

Farrell C, McCulloch E, Bellhouse S et al (2017) Peripheral cannulae in oncology: nurses' confidence and patients' experiences. CancerNursing Practice. 16, 3, 32-38. doi: 10.7748/cnp.2017.e1408

Larsen E, Keogh S, Marsh N, Rickard CM. Experiences of peripheral IV insertion in hospital: A qualitative study. British Journal of Nursing. Oct 2017; 26(19):S4-S17.

Larsen E. Patients' experience of IV insertion. TQN. Sept 2016. Pg 35

Larsen EN, Byrnes J, Marsh N, Rickard CM. Patient-reported outcome and experience measures for peripheral venous catheters: a scoping review protocol. Br J Nurs. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2021.30.19.S30.PMID: 34723667

Libbis E, Sweeny AL, Holmes T, Aggarwal N, Snelling PJ, Slaughter E, Poncia H, Watkins SC. Forearmed is forewarned: A prospective intervention observational time-series study of patient empowerment for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access. Emerg Med Australas. 2022 May 17. doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.13981. Epub ahead of print.

Ray-Barruel G. Consider the patient's voice. British Journal of Nursing. 2016;25(8):S3.

Schults JA, Calleja P, Slaughter E, Paterson R, Rickard CM, Booker C, Marsh N, Fenn M, Kelly J, Snelling PJ, Byrnes J, Keijzers G, Cooke M. Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion and use of ultrasound in patients with difficult intravenous access: Australian patient and practitioner perspectives to inform future implementation strategies. PLoS One. 2022 Jun 24;17(6):e0269788. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269788

Schults JA, Paterson R, Kleidon T, Cooke M, Ullman A, McNeil K, Chopra V, Charles K, Ray-Barruel G, Marsh N, Sullivan C, Rickard CM. Understanding consumer preference for vascular access safety and quality measurement: An international survey. Australian Health Review 2022;46(1):12-20. https://doi.org/10.1071/AH21053  . 

Sweeny A, Archer-Jones A, Watkins S, Johnson L, Gunter A, Rickard CM. The experience of patients at high risk of difficult peripheral intravenous cannulation: An Australian prospective observational study. Australasian Emergency Care. doi.org/10.1016/j.auec.2021.07.003

Ullman A, Kleidon T, Gibson V, Takashima M, Schults J, Cattanach P, Paterson R, Cooke M, Byrnes J, Saiyed M, Vineet C, Rickard C. Experiences of children with central venous access devices: a mixed methods study. Pediatric Research. Available online 11 April 2022. DOI 10.1038/s41390-022-02054-3