Important Announcement

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic the NIVAS board made the difficult decision to make the 2020 Annual Conference a virtual event. The current emergency has reinforced the importance of Vascular Access.

The conference presentations will be available soon.

A message from the Chair

Dear NIVAS members,

I am pleased to send you the latest NIVAS guidance for gravity and bolus IV therapy administration during the COVID 19 outbreak (see link below).

This guidance is aimed at supporting your practice during a time when infusion and syringe pumps are limited or not available in order to continue administering IV therapy using gravity or bolus push.

We have written this guidance in partnership with the Medusa online injectable medicines guide which many of your organisations will be signed up to and the NHS specialist pharmacy service.

The link below will contain up to date information about injectable medicines during the COVID 19 outbreak and will be constantly updated.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/use-of-gravity-infusions-and-bolus-injections-in-adults-during-covid-19/

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/articles/summary-of-covid-19-medicines-recommendations-from-professional-bodies/

I would like to add that when giving bolus drugs manually we advocate the use of a 10ml, 20ml or 30ml syringe (luer-slip or luer-lock) where possible, please ask your organisation to reserve the 50ml luer-lock syringes for critical care syringe infusion pumps to avoid future stocks running low.

Please free to contact us for further help and support, especially sign posting for where you can get information about IV therapy and vascular access.

Stay safe everyone and thank you for everything you are doing.

Best wishes

Andrew Barton, NIVAS Chair

Welcome to NIVAS

Welcome to the website of NIVAS, the independent and multi-professional society specialising in vascular access and infusion therapies.

NIVAS is the first independent multi-professional society to be founded in the UK in this century. It is the new voice for all those involved in vascular access and infusion therapies. The society was founded in July 2009 in order to promote excellence in this specialised field of patient care. We believe that we can advance practice through communication, collaboration and education.

As infusion therapy and vascular access continues to evolve, there is a need, now more than ever, for a co-ordinated approach to practice amongst healthcare professionals across the UK. The formation of a society and an annual conference is vital to ensure success in the specialty and quality care for patients. NIVAS hopes to engage nurses, anaesthetists, radiologists, microbiologists, pharmacists and other health professionals involved in the insertion and management of vascular access and infusion therapy.

NIVAS recognises the important role that you as an individual can play in advancing this specialty and would encourage your involvement with the society.

Tweets from NIVAS Conference 2019

Published: April 03, 2019

Vascular Access Nurse of the Year Award

Published: April 08, 2015

New from NICE: Guidance and support to help position catheters in veins