Sara Melville is the Lead Nurse for vascular access service at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital since 2007 and in recent years has become the Nurse Consultant for Paediatric Vascular Access. Sara has a background in neonatal and paediatric critical care and have also worked as a senior lecturer in higher education in children’s nursing, teaching both pre and post registration courses. Sara’s interest in vascular access first began whilst working within the paediatric and neonatal critical care environments. She first learned to place venous access in 2000 whilst working on a NICU caring for patients from 23 weeks gestation upwards and have been placing venous access in the neonatal and paediatric population since this time.
In 2010 Sara set up the Nurse Led Vascular Access Service at Alder Hey, which now places peripheral cannula, midlines and PICC lines using ultrasound guidance in all ages ranges in the paediatric setting. The team is responsible for all the vascular access guidelines for both insertion of cannula, midlines and PICC lines, the ongoing care and maintenance guidelines and ANTT guidelines in relation to vascular access. They also provide IV therapy training in preparation and administration and training in paediatric venepuncture and cannulation to all the MDT. The service has also developed and implemented a paediatric version of Vessel Health and Preservation, integrated into the patient EPR system.
Sara’s particular interests are Paediatric Vessel Health and Preservation, reducing risks associated with venous access in paediatric patients and strategies to use to reduce the holding and restraining of children during vascular access insertions.
