The University General Hospital of Iraklio (PAGNI) has established Greece’s first Vascular Access Nursing Team, training nurses to manage and place ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheters, a practice modeled on international hospitals.
The long-duration catheters can remain in place throughout a patient’s hospitalization and are particularly useful for stays of five days or more. Hospital officials say the initiative provides safer vascular access, reduces waiting times and repeated venipuncture attempts, lowers complications, and improves patients’ hospital experience.
According to PAGNI administrator Georgios Chalkiadakis, the team has successfully placed nearly 3,000 ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheters and continues to train additional nurses. Interest from other hospitals, including those in Iraklio and Hania, has led to requests for similar training. The six-member team, partly trained in Italy, also selects appropriate vascular access devices, monitors patients, and trains staff to strengthen patient safety and preserve patients’ venous networks.
