I need some help- can you all give me topics or issues you think are needed for basic staff education on cannulation. What would you like to see in a staff education booklet/article/video/CEU program (any form). General or specific issues like needle cannulation for PTFE vs AV Fistula, post treatment needle removal and pressure holding, needle angle for cannulation, access assessment prior to needle cannulation.
What do you use now and what do you like or dislike about the teaching tools. What pictures would you find helpful? All suggestions or ideas are welcome!
Thanks for you input and help!

Regarding cannulation-- I think something is needed to shock the patient care staff into learning more. If you could develop a good pre-test for your cannulation educational material, I think it would be EYE OPENING to publish the average score for our facilities -- everybody would know their own private score.

Most of the people doing the cannulations, the technicians, are never trained or tested on all subtleties involved. They don't even know what to ask.

Jo,
Do staff learn how to cannulate like I did- watch a few and then do with no theory?

I think it's kind of like sex. Before you do the first time, you have a million questions. But then after the first few times, your questions narrow and you find what works for you.

Maybe we need something like a Cosmo quiz : Are you a world-class sticker? Take our quiz and find out!

Jo,
I will have to read a Cosmo and see what you mean for a quiz. It's been years since I looked inside a Cosmo. But the idea of a quiz to separate fact from myth is a good idea.