The VHP Model

Although more than 90% of patients admitted to acute care receive intravenous (IV) access for the delivery of treatment, the use of these devices goes beyond acute care and involves all health-care facilities, from hospitals and clinics to home care, and, thus, initiating and managing these devices in a way that promotes the preservation of the patient’s vasculature has become paramount to patient safety and care. Vessel Health and Preservation (VHP) is a framework that guides the optimal initiation and management of intravenous devices. The VHP framework consists of four quadrants of care: assessment/selection, insertion, management, and evaluation of outcomes. Each quadrant of care comprises a pathway of evidence-based practices designed to improve the quality of patient care, reduce the risks associated with vascular access devices (VADs), and increase efficiency in the use of health-care resources. The VHP model of patient-focused practices benefits patients by reducing the morbidity of the untoward effects associated with intravenous devices and assists clinicians and health-care facilities by adhering to the evidence integrated within the VHP framework, leading to greater insertion success, less wastage of supplies, and improved clinical outcomes.