Alliance for Vascular Access Teaching and Research - Avatar Group

31/12/2025

Wishing you a Happy New Year from all of us at the AVATAR Group!

Thank you to the incredible clinicians, researchers, and partners who supported safer vascular access throughout 2025. We can’t wait to see what 2026 brings.

Here’s to another year of progress, partnership, and making complications history.

19/12/2025

Congratulations on achieving your PhD, Dr Tricia Kleidon! Pictured here with another fabulous paediatric researcher, Dr Anna Dean.

18/12/2025

🏠 Living With a PICC at Home: Patients Take the Lead

Co-designed with patients, this educational booklet empowers PICC users with practical, confidence-building info for safer home care.

🔗 Read more: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/blog/empowering-patients-at-home--co-designing-a-picc-booklet

16/12/2025

From the I-DECIDED® tool to miniMAGIC, AVATAR is developing world-first resources that translate research into real-world impact 🚀

These clinician- and patient-focused tools are helping improve IV decision-making, reduce complications, and set new standards in care: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/innovations.html

11/12/2025

🧭 CVAD Trials: Where’s the Evidence?

This evidence map reveals where CVAD research is clustered—and where the gaps remain. A must-read for funders, clinicians, and researchers.
🔗 Read more: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/blog/mapping-the-evidence--gaps-in-central-venous-access-device-trials

09/12/2025

Ready to turn your ideas into real clinical impact? 💡💉

AVATAR is offering Higher Degree by Research (HDR) opportunities in vascular access and infusion therapy, connecting you with expert supervisors across universities and specialties.

👉 Learn more and submit an EOI: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=q8h8Wtykm0-_YGZxQEmtYu7XRycZCrVFgePL8G1IpjFUNDlHTzVPSkFTWFlPS001QlJKVEFaSFVRNC4u

09/12/2025

🩺 Up to 80% of hospitalised patients require an IV—but not all insertions are simple.
Difficult IV Access (DIVA) is a common challenge in emergency and inpatient care.

AVATAR’s new DIVA resource hub supports both consumers and clinicians with tools, guidance, and educational material to improve outcomes and reduce insertion attempts.

🔗 Explore the resources: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/difficult-iv-access-resources.html

04/12/2025

💉 Arterial Catheters in the ICU: Essential or Excessive?

68% of ICU patients had arterial catheters—but are we overusing them? This study explores outcomes, dressing variation & the urgent need for standardisation.

🔗 Read more: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/blog/arterial-catheters-in-icus--how-common-and-how-safe-

02/12/2025

A Comprehensive Guide for Clinicians and Educators: AVATAR's Multimedia Learning Resources. Unlock valuable insights and explore a wide range of topics, from the essentials to the cutting-edge advancements.

Click here to explore: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/multimedia-learning-resources.html

01/12/2025

Wonderful to see the I-DECIDED tool is gaining traction and proving useful!
https://journals.ekb.eg/article_467236_0.html

27/11/2025

💥 CHG vs PVI – Which Antiseptic Wins?

Is chlorhexidine really the gold standard? This review compares CHG and povidone-iodine across safety, resistance, cost & environment.
🔗 Read more: https://www.avatargroup.org.au/blog/chlorhexidine-vs-povidone-iodine-for-catheter-infection-prevention--which-is-better-

26/11/2025

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/routinely-maintaining-iv-catheter-access-time-mindset-shift-2025a1000v8h?form=fpf

The practice of routinely maintaining PIVC access has not only benefits but also risks. It’s due for a mindset shift, with focus on monitoring and reassessment daily, experts say.