Save the Vein Campaign

Save the Vein: What Nurses Need to Know

Access the archive of this educational Webinar in ANNA's Online Library

Resources

Save the Vein Wristbands

Wristband Order Information

Note: Wristbands are not produced by ANNA. You can order wristbands from The Awristocrat.

To order by phone:

  1. Call 1-800-778-1580
  2. Ask to speak with customer service representative Michelle Bishop
  3. Provide bracelet layout #3816

Program Description

This program focuses on the importance of vein preservation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. At the heart of the project is a silicone wristband that reads “SAVE VEINS – NO IV/LAB DRAWS.” A wristband, a patient educational brochure, and order information (for additional wristbands) was sent to all ANNA members with the January-February 2011 issue of the Nephrology Nursing Journal.

The webinar will provide nurses working with patients with CKD stages 3-5 the knowledge, tools, skills, and infrastructure to care for and educate patients about vein preservation and the importance of self-care access management. By encouraging patients to assume an active role in their own care related to vein preservation, we hope the goal of a 66% AV fistula rate set by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can be met.

Objectives

  1. Identify CKD patients who need education related to vein preservation.
  2. Analyze the tools and skills nephrology nurses must exhibit to adequately prepare patients for preserving their veins for an AV fistula.
  3. Design a plan to educate patients about the importance of being actively involved in their care in anticipation of the eventual need for hemodialysis.
  4. Summarize the importance of vein preservation for patients with CKD stages 3-5.

Program Presenter

Timothy Ray, DNP, CNP, CNN-NP, is a nephrology nurse practitioner and ANNA’s director for the Save the Vein project.  He has been a nephrology nurse practitioner for 11 years, working in private practice with three nephrologists in the Cleveland, OH area. His clinical focus is ESRD, acute care, CKD, and general nephrology. Mr. Ray is also on clinical faculty at Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University, and Ursuline College. He is currently a member of ANNA’s Advanced Practice Special Interest Group, recently presented at ANNA’s Fall Meeting about CKD clinics, and has a special interest in CKD management and vein preservation.

Continuing Nursing Education Credit

1.25 Contact Hours

Program Availability

This educational program was presented as a webinar in January 2011. The program is now available as an archive in ANNA's Online Library. Click here to access the program in ANNA's Online Library.

Note: Original design/concept was created by Qsource, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Tennessee, under Medicare's Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) pilot project, funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

ANNA is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center-Commission on Accreditation (ANCC-COA).