My entire 13 year nursing career has been in pediatrics, with the last 7 years specializing in Pediatric Vascular Access.   I am currently the Education Coordinator for the Vascular Access Team at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO.  As the Education Coordinator for the past 5 years, I have had the opportunity to work on hospital wide committees as a content expert in the areas of CLABSI prevention, venous and central line care, maintenance and education, ultrasound guided access training and competency development and complications related to venous and central access.   

This would be my first position with PediSIG; however, I have a number of years in leadership experience through work at my hospital.   I am currently a member of the leadership team on the hospital wide CLABSI prevention committee and a co-lead of our new Peripheral IV Infiltration and Extravasation hospital acquired condition team.  I have served as the Interim Manager for our Vascular Access Team twice, each time choosing to stay in my role as the Education Coordinator.  My passion is creating and providing education for staff, patients and families that provide the skills to empower them to safely care for and work with central lines.   

I have great respect for the work that AVA and PediSIG has done, and currently doing, to help advance the practice of vascular access.  I am excited for the future of PediSIG.  I believe putting the patient first and working together to advance best practices in both the adult and pediatric settings will lead to improved patient outcomes.