- Email: [email protected]
The NAVAN history
THE NAVAN HOSST RY Suzanne
Herbst, RN, MA Presidenl~Elecl,
n 1985, I had been working in
and pharmacy staff, as well as patients.
Pelrakis as
home infusion for aboul 2 years.
After considerable discussion, it \vas
Brandstrom as Secretary, Bunny Tiger-
Our patient'; came from multiple
unanimously agreed to' develop a com-
institutions throughollt the San Fran-
mittee, named the Bay Area Vascular Access Committee (llAVAC) , with the
man as Treasurer, and Dwayne Hardy and Malle Snider as Directors-at-Luge. (Interestingly, 5 of these 6 pioneers
(VADs) by caregivers, education given
primalY goal to "establish a collaborative effort to benefit ratients and
Over the next fe,,;v years, (he member-
to patiems, and maintenance proce-
healthcare professionals utilizing vari-
ship neared 150 and, in keeping with
dures and complication managemenL
ous VADs through education, standardization and research."
our original objectives, we began lo
I
cisco Bay Area. I found alat the knowledge of these vascular access devices
varied widely within and among insti-
Donna
remain active NAVAN members today.)
produce a n<.:wsletler, BAVIE\X1S, and
tutions. The unknowns, discrepancies
The first fe\v years primarily were
and misunderstandings of these critical
spent identifying the local expeI1ise,
lifelines led to some serious problems. VADs were being insened and cared
increasing membership, developing group/conulluniry credibiliry, and sur-
tion of membership outside the SF Bay
for in many different settings by
veying current practices. In order to
Area. Networks si.milar to BAVAN were
healthcare professionals who had very
find some common ground, we established four task forces: tunneled
staned in San Diego and Salt Lake City, with several other areas expressing
catheters, implanted rarts, percutaneously insened central Qtheters, and
as well. After a great deal of considera-
little or no current knowledge about these devices. In June o[ 1985 I sent out a letter to 12 of my colleagues throughout ale San Francisco Bay Area who I believed shared the same aloughts about the
issues and concerns with the use of VADs. I proposed the development of a multidisciplinary VAD network beC
patient education. These groups were tasked to develop collaborative policies and procedures for the use of the various devices or topics. Tn doing this, we learned how
held our first annual conference. By 1990, membership had grown to more than 600, with a significaIU por-
interest in staJ1ing their own networks tion, meditation, discLlssion and trepidation, the process to develop a national organiZ::lI:ion was begun. A name cOlUest was held and the
much we did nor know and what the
new national identiry became "National Association of Vascular Access Net-
I felt that it was imperative that all pieces of alis complex pie - from the
major controversies were. As a result, we began digging for funher informa-
works." Next a national Board of Directors was elected and off we \vent. Over
research and development engineer to
tion. This learning CllIve, although
the past ten years, NAVAN has gone
the healthcare professional to the patient - had to come together in form-
very tedious and time consuming,
through many growing pains and
proved to be very beneficial and we
ing some common ground to infusion of IV mediQtions and solutions.
noted that our membership grew to 65
phases, yet it has played a major role in mising the awareness of the practice of
in just one year. The name was changed to BAVAN
Fifteen people came to the first brainstorming meeting, They repre-
and a new logo was launched in 1987.
sented hospital, home care, research and development, industry, nursing,
The original Board of Directors included myself as President, Stella
infusion via VADs. I believe that wilh the strong, very cdpable, current leadership, NAVAN will continue to grow and provide the clinical focus necessary to promote excellence in this pid-ctice. •
As the founder of NAVAN, I am pleased to introduce the addition of a new feature of JVAD that will highlight a different member every issue. The intent is to demonstrate the breadth of our membership and the variety of roles that NAVAN members play in the world of vascular access.
40
"'VAC
SP r
n
g
2 0 0 I
Herbst, RN, MA Presidenl~Elecl,
n 1985, I had been working in
and pharmacy staff, as well as patients.
Pelrakis as
home infusion for aboul 2 years.
After considerable discussion, it \vas
Brandstrom as Secretary, Bunny Tiger-
Our patient'; came from multiple
unanimously agreed to' develop a com-
institutions throughollt the San Fran-
mittee, named the Bay Area Vascular Access Committee (llAVAC) , with the
man as Treasurer, and Dwayne Hardy and Malle Snider as Directors-at-Luge. (Interestingly, 5 of these 6 pioneers
(VADs) by caregivers, education given
primalY goal to "establish a collaborative effort to benefit ratients and
Over the next fe,,;v years, (he member-
to patiems, and maintenance proce-
healthcare professionals utilizing vari-
ship neared 150 and, in keeping with
dures and complication managemenL
ous VADs through education, standardization and research."
our original objectives, we began lo
I
cisco Bay Area. I found alat the knowledge of these vascular access devices
varied widely within and among insti-
Donna
remain active NAVAN members today.)
produce a n<.:wsletler, BAVIE\X1S, and
tutions. The unknowns, discrepancies
The first fe\v years primarily were
and misunderstandings of these critical
spent identifying the local expeI1ise,
lifelines led to some serious problems. VADs were being insened and cared
increasing membership, developing group/conulluniry credibiliry, and sur-
tion of membership outside the SF Bay
for in many different settings by
veying current practices. In order to
Area. Networks si.milar to BAVAN were
healthcare professionals who had very
find some common ground, we established four task forces: tunneled
staned in San Diego and Salt Lake City, with several other areas expressing
catheters, implanted rarts, percutaneously insened central Qtheters, and
as well. After a great deal of considera-
little or no current knowledge about these devices. In June o[ 1985 I sent out a letter to 12 of my colleagues throughout ale San Francisco Bay Area who I believed shared the same aloughts about the
issues and concerns with the use of VADs. I proposed the development of a multidisciplinary VAD network beC
patient education. These groups were tasked to develop collaborative policies and procedures for the use of the various devices or topics. Tn doing this, we learned how
held our first annual conference. By 1990, membership had grown to more than 600, with a significaIU por-
interest in staJ1ing their own networks tion, meditation, discLlssion and trepidation, the process to develop a national organiZ::lI:ion was begun. A name cOlUest was held and the
much we did nor know and what the
new national identiry became "National Association of Vascular Access Net-
I felt that it was imperative that all pieces of alis complex pie - from the
major controversies were. As a result, we began digging for funher informa-
works." Next a national Board of Directors was elected and off we \vent. Over
research and development engineer to
tion. This learning CllIve, although
the past ten years, NAVAN has gone
the healthcare professional to the patient - had to come together in form-
very tedious and time consuming,
through many growing pains and
proved to be very beneficial and we
ing some common ground to infusion of IV mediQtions and solutions.
noted that our membership grew to 65
phases, yet it has played a major role in mising the awareness of the practice of
in just one year. The name was changed to BAVAN
Fifteen people came to the first brainstorming meeting, They repre-
and a new logo was launched in 1987.
sented hospital, home care, research and development, industry, nursing,
The original Board of Directors included myself as President, Stella
infusion via VADs. I believe that wilh the strong, very cdpable, current leadership, NAVAN will continue to grow and provide the clinical focus necessary to promote excellence in this pid-ctice. •
As the founder of NAVAN, I am pleased to introduce the addition of a new feature of JVAD that will highlight a different member every issue. The intent is to demonstrate the breadth of our membership and the variety of roles that NAVAN members play in the world of vascular access.
40
"'VAC
SP r
n
g
2 0 0 I