A library of about 70 institution-ready, evidence-cited vascular access policies — insertion, maintenance and care, complication management, medication administration, blood sampling, infection prevention, and operations — free to read and adaptable with attribution.
Vascular access policies are the institutional documents that turn evidence into required practice: who may insert and manage which devices, how insertion and maintenance are performed, what happens when a complication occurs, and how it is all documented. This library contains roughly 70 institution-ready policy documents covering the full span of vascular access and infusion practice — insertion, maintenance and care, complications, medication administration, blood sampling, infection prevention, and program operations.
Each policy follows the same structure an accrediting surveyor expects to find: a policy statement, purpose, scope, procedure-level requirements, and a numbered, DOI-linked reference list. They are written in institution-neutral language so they can be adapted to a specific facility, and they are free to read and adaptable with attribution. They are reference documents, not turnkey governance — local committee review, legal review, and medical direction decide what your institution actually adopts.
The policies operationalize published standards rather than invent practice. Recurring sources, cited inline in each document:
For the synthesis of all of these standards, see the Vascular Access Guidelines & CPGs hub. For the clinical background behind the policies, see the Vascular Access pillar.
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Vascular Access Device Selection and Insertion Planning | Matching device to therapy, duration, and vessel health before insertion |
| Vascular Access Device Insertion | Insertion requirements across device types |
| Evidence-Based Selection and Clinical Monitoring | Selection standards and ongoing clinical monitoring |
| Site Preparation and Skin Antisepsis | Antiseptic agents, application, and dry time |
| CVAD Tip Location | Tip position standards and confirmation methods |
| Vascular Visualization Technology | Ultrasound and near-infrared visualization requirements |
| Informed Consent for Vascular Access Procedures | Consent elements and documentation |
| Pain Management for Vascular Access Procedures | Procedural analgesia and comfort measures |
| Implanted Vascular Access Ports | Port access, care, and deaccessing |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Intraosseous Vascular Access | IO insertion, dwell limits, and conversion |
| Umbilical Catheter Management in Neonates | UVC/UAC management |
| Neuraxial Access Devices | Epidural and intrathecal device management |
| Subcutaneous Infusion and Access Devices | Subcutaneous access and hypodermoclysis |
| Vascular Access for Hemodialysis | Fistula, graft, and dialysis catheter considerations |
| Vascular Access for Therapeutic Apheresis | Access requirements for apheresis |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Flushing and Locking of VADs | Flush solutions, technique, volumes, and lock therapy |
| Administration Set Management | Set change intervals and handling |
| Needleless Connectors | Connector disinfection and change frequency |
| Add-On Devices | Extensions, stopcocks, and add-on device control |
| Filtration | In-line filter requirements by therapy |
| Flow-Control Devices | Pumps and gravity flow-control requirements |
| Site Protection and Joint Stabilization | Protecting sites and stabilizing areas of flexion |
| VAD Securement | Securement methods and dressing integrity |
| Post-Insertion Care | Assessment, dressing, and site care during dwell |
| Optimizing Vascular Device Removal | Removal criteria and safe removal practice |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| VAD-Related Infections | Prevention, recognition, and management |
| Air Embolism | Prevention and emergency management |
| Catheter-Associated Thrombosis | Risk reduction, recognition, and management |
| VAD Occlusion | Prevention, assessment, and clearance |
| Phlebitis | Grading, prevention, and response |
| Infiltration and Extravasation | Recognition, staging, and management including vesicants |
| Catheter-Associated Skin Injury | MARSI prevention, assessment, and management |
| CVAD Malposition | Assessment, prevention, and repositioning pathways |
| Catheter Damage, Embolism, Repair, and Exchange | Damaged catheter management and exchange |
| Nerve Injury | Prevention and response to procedure-related nerve injury |
| Adverse Event Management and Reporting | Event response, disclosure, and reporting |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Hand Hygiene | Indications, technique, and compliance |
| Aseptic Non-Touch Technique (ANTT) | The ANTT framework for clinical procedures |
| Standard Precautions | Baseline precautions for all care |
| Transmission-Based Precautions | Contact, droplet, and airborne precautions |
| Medical Waste and Sharps Safety | Sharps handling and waste streams |
| Latex Allergy and Sensitivity Management | Latex-safe care requirements |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Infusion Medication and Solution Administration | Core infusion administration requirements |
| Administration of Antineoplastic Therapy | Chemotherapy administration safeguards |
| Biologic Therapy Administration | Biologic-specific administration requirements |
| Parenteral Nutrition Administration | PN administration and line requirements |
| Blood Administration | Transfusion administration practice |
| Blood and Fluid Warming | Warming device indications and limits |
| Patient-Controlled Analgesia | PCA safety and monitoring |
| Moderate Sedation and Analgesia via IV Infusion | Sedation administration and monitoring |
| Compounding and Preparation of Parenteral Solutions | Preparation and compounding standards |
| Hazardous Drug Management | Handling and exposure control |
| Controlled Substance Diversion Prevention | Diversion prevention and surveillance |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Blood Sampling via Vascular Access Devices | Sampling from PIVs and CVADs, discard and waste practice, hemolysis mechanisms and prevention |
| Therapeutic Phlebotomy | Therapeutic phlebotomy procedure and monitoring |
| Policy | Scope |
|---|---|
| Competency and Competency Validation | Initial and ongoing competency requirements |
| Documentation in the Health Record | Required documentation elements across the device lifecycle |
| Quality Improvement in Vascular Access | Metrics, surveillance, and improvement cycles |
| Scope of Practice and Professional Boundaries | Who may perform which procedures |
| Service Delivery Models and Operational Scope | Team structures and service coverage |
| Strategic Planning and Implementation of VA Services | Building and scaling a vascular access service |
| Product Management and Device Safety | Product evaluation, recalls, and device safety |
| Interprofessional Safety and Care Transitions | Handoffs and cross-team safety |
| Evidence-Based Practice and Research | EBP integration and research participation |
| Patient Education in Infusion Therapy | Teaching requirements and materials |
| Foundations of Clinical Practice and Specialized Populations | Practice foundations and population-specific management |
Adapting a policy for your institution is mostly a governance exercise: replace the institution-neutral language with your facility’s structures, reconcile the requirements against your formulary and scope-of-practice rules, route it through the owning committee, and set the review date. The evidence citations travel with the document, which shortens the review cycle — reviewers can check the source rather than reconstruct it. Attribution to The Clinical Database is required when adapting; see the citation guidance in each document’s footer.
Keeping an adopted policy current is the harder half of the job: the INS Standards, CDC guidance, and society guidelines move on their own schedules, and every change ripples through a policy manual measured in hundreds of documents. That maintenance burden is also a software problem — qPolicy by Intracav exists to keep institutional policy libraries aligned with current evidence, with a dedicated org-wide AI instance for policy and compliance work.
Establishes standards for product evaluation, selection, inspection, problem reporting, and supply chain disruption management to ensure vascular access devices and infusion products meet the highest standards of safety, efficacy, and reliability.
Establishes standards for safe handling and disposal of regulated medical waste, sharps safety, needlestick injury prevention, use of safety-engineered devices, injury reporting, and patient and caregiver education for home infusion waste management.
Establishes standards for minimizing latex exposure, identifying at-risk patients and healthcare workers, managing allergic reactions, and ensuring latex-free care environments for latex-sensitive and latex-allergic individuals.
Establishes comprehensive standards for the safe handling, preparation, administration, and disposal of hazardous drugs across all care settings, including PPE requirements, engineering controls, environmental monitoring, spill management, and medical surveillance programs.
Establishes comprehensive standards for preventing, recognizing, and responding to controlled substance diversion in healthcare settings, including chain of custody requirements, waste management, detection methods, and recovery support for affected healthcare workers.
Establishes comprehensive standards for identifying, documenting, investigating, and learning from adverse events, serious adverse events, and near-miss incidents associated with vascular access devices and infusion therapy.
Defines the organizational requirements for the assessment, establishment, governance, financial management, and continuous improvement of a dedicated vascular access specialist service, including leadership structure, team nomenclature, budgetary processes, and interprofessional safety integration.
Establishes the organizational model for vascular access service delivery, defining the core service components, operational coverage requirements, consultative approach, and technology integration necessary for a comprehensive, holistic infusion therapy program across inpatient and outpatient settings.
Defines the regulatory hierarchy governing clinician scope of practice, establishes the framework for practice expansion and delegation of vascular access tasks, and delineates the professional roles and responsibilities of all personnel involved in infusion therapy.
Establishes the organizational framework for continuous quality improvement in vascular access services, including the adoption of validated QI methodologies, audit and feedback mechanisms, adverse event surveillance, medication safety integration, and the maintenance of a Just Culture environment.