Other Titles
Nurses Removing Arterial Sheaths: A Quality Improvement Project [Title Slide]
Abstract
Introduction: Arterial sheaths are vital to many minimally invasive cardiac procedures. Nurses have performed arterial sheath removal after cardiac procedures in critical care settings for over a decade (Sania et al., 2022). Nurses removing arterial sheaths is associated with improved patient safety outcomes, including decreases in hematoma formation and awareness of risk factors (Al-Lenjawi et al., 2022; Henedy & El-Sayad, 2019). Removal of arterial sheaths is an advanced skill that requires nurses to meet specific criteria and receive clinically appropriate education (Capasso et al., 2006). Preparing experienced nurses to remove arterial sheaths earlier can increase patient safety and decrease complications. This project aimed to decrease hematoma rates by preparing nurses to perform arterial sheath removals through the dissemination of education and return demonstration of skill (Ghods et al., 2022; Jakobsen et al., 2022; Jalili et al., 2015; Sania et al., 2022).
Methods: A group of expert nurses in the CCU and CVICU with a minimum of one year of experience participated in a live education session. Pre- and post-Qualtrics surveys measured knowledge change. Aggregate data on patient hematomas was evaluated for two weeks pre-implementation and 12 weeks post-implementation of the educational session.
Results: Hematoma rates decreased from 20% (1 of 5 open hearts) to 0% (0 of 8 open hearts) post the implementation of the education session. On a pre-test, the nurse participants scored 6-12 out of a maximum score of 20, with a mean score of 10.4 (95% CI [7.93, 12.92], SD 2.70). After the education, participants scored between 12-20 with a mean post-test score of 16.9 (95% CI [14.27, 19.44], SD 2.79). This represented an increase of 32.14% from the pre- to post-knowledge tests. The education session had a 93% overall average positive evaluation score.
Conclusion: The results of this project indicate that providing an educational session for nurses on arterial sheath removal can increase knowledge of the nurse at the bedside and patient safety. These findings indicate that the sessions could be replicated to include additional qualified nurses in this facility or other centers of critical cardiac care. Further research is needed to monitor the long-term clinical impact of this educational intervention.
Notes
References:
Al-Lenjawi, B., Kunjavara, J., Hassan, N., Mannethodi, K., Martinez, E., Joy, G. V., & Singh, K. (2022). Evidence-based practice among critical care nurse’s/midwives in Qatar. Open Journal of Nursing, 12(1), 42-59. 10.4236/ojn.2022.121004
Capasso, V. A., Codner, C., Nuzzo-Meuller, G., Cox, E. M., & Bouvier, S. (2006). Peripheral arterial sheath removal program: A performance improvement initiative. Journal of Vascular Nursing, 24(4), 127-132.doi.org/10.1016/j.jvn.2006.09.001
Ghods, A. A., Roshani, A., Mirmohammadkhani, M., & Soleimani, M. (2022). Effects of valsalva maneuver on pain and vasovagal reaction during the removing of femoral arterial sheath after percutaneous coronary intervention: A randomized controlled Trial. Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, 37(6), 900-906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2022.01.016
Henedy, W. M., & El-Sayad, H. E. S. (2019). Nurses’ knowledge and practice regarding patient’s safety post cardiac catheterization. IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 8(3), 43-52. DOI: 10.9790/1959-0803074352
Jakobsen, L., Holm, N. R., Maeng, M., Thim, T., Kristensen, S. D., Mogensen, L. H., & Christiansen, E. H. (2022).Comparison of MynxGrip vascular closure device and manual compression for closure after femoral access angiography: A randomized controlled trial: The closure devices used in every day practice study, CLOSE-UP IIItrial. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 22(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-022-02512-0
Jalili, M., Imanipour, M., Nayeri, N. D., & Mirzazadeh, A. (2015). Evaluation of the nursing students’ skills by DOPS.Journal of Medical Education, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.22037/jme.v14i1.9069
Sania, S., Nazly, A., & Siddiqui, S. (2022). Effectiveness of standardized nursing care protocol among post cardiac catheterization patients to reduce hematoma development. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International 34(39A): 49-58.
Sigma Membership
Lambda Rho at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Acute Care, Competence, Interprofessional, Interdisciplinary, Arterial Sheath Removal, Sheath Removal, Cardiac Catheterization, Femoral Arterial Sheath Removal, Nursing Education, Cardiac Sheaths
Recommended Citation
Roth, Vanessa Rachel and de Tantillo, Lila, "Nurses Removing Arterial Sheaths: Disseminating Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Patient Care" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 199.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/199
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Nurses Removing Arterial Sheaths: Disseminating Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Patient Care
Seattle, Washington, USA
Introduction: Arterial sheaths are vital to many minimally invasive cardiac procedures. Nurses have performed arterial sheath removal after cardiac procedures in critical care settings for over a decade (Sania et al., 2022). Nurses removing arterial sheaths is associated with improved patient safety outcomes, including decreases in hematoma formation and awareness of risk factors (Al-Lenjawi et al., 2022; Henedy & El-Sayad, 2019). Removal of arterial sheaths is an advanced skill that requires nurses to meet specific criteria and receive clinically appropriate education (Capasso et al., 2006). Preparing experienced nurses to remove arterial sheaths earlier can increase patient safety and decrease complications. This project aimed to decrease hematoma rates by preparing nurses to perform arterial sheath removals through the dissemination of education and return demonstration of skill (Ghods et al., 2022; Jakobsen et al., 2022; Jalili et al., 2015; Sania et al., 2022).
Methods: A group of expert nurses in the CCU and CVICU with a minimum of one year of experience participated in a live education session. Pre- and post-Qualtrics surveys measured knowledge change. Aggregate data on patient hematomas was evaluated for two weeks pre-implementation and 12 weeks post-implementation of the educational session.
Results: Hematoma rates decreased from 20% (1 of 5 open hearts) to 0% (0 of 8 open hearts) post the implementation of the education session. On a pre-test, the nurse participants scored 6-12 out of a maximum score of 20, with a mean score of 10.4 (95% CI [7.93, 12.92], SD 2.70). After the education, participants scored between 12-20 with a mean post-test score of 16.9 (95% CI [14.27, 19.44], SD 2.79). This represented an increase of 32.14% from the pre- to post-knowledge tests. The education session had a 93% overall average positive evaluation score.
Conclusion: The results of this project indicate that providing an educational session for nurses on arterial sheath removal can increase knowledge of the nurse at the bedside and patient safety. These findings indicate that the sessions could be replicated to include additional qualified nurses in this facility or other centers of critical cardiac care. Further research is needed to monitor the long-term clinical impact of this educational intervention.
Description
Nurses removing arterial sheaths is associated with improved patient safety outcomes. This project prepared experienced nurses to perform arterial sheath removal. Results after intervention found nurse knowledge increased and patient hematomas decreased.