Standardization in Interventional Radiology

Saturday, June 11, 2022

1:20pm - 2:20pm ET

Interventional Radiology (IR) is a rapidly evolving field of medicine encompassing a variety of procedures. Every day in IR is different from the one before and the one to follow. There are procedures performed daily and others that may occur once or twice a year. Each procedure has its own unique protocol, and this clinical variation can create a large margin for error putting patient outcomes at risk. Studies have shown that variability in the delivery of health care can potentiate error, but standardization can decrease this unnecessary variation and reduce potential harm. The World Health Organization as well as accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission support the use of standardized clinical practice guidelines, and they are recognizable in existing processes such as Universal Protocol and critical care pathways. In this presentation, the presenter will discuss the benefits of standardization, identify what to protocol in IR, how the information is delivered, and who should be a part of the decision-making team. At the conclusion of this program, the learner will be able to describe a step-by-step approach to implementing standardized practice in IR and understand the importance and advantages of standardization in Interventional Radiology.

Jennifer Farrell, RN, MSN Management and Leadership

Radiology Nurse Clinical Coordinator

Richmond Veterans Administration Medical Center

Jennifer Farrell has been a Registered Nurse for 26 years and spent the last 13 years in Interventional Radiology. She began her nursing career with an Associates of Science from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College and went on to earn a BSN from Western Governors University and MSN in Leadership and Management from Western Governors University. Ms. Farrell is currently the Nurse Clinical Coordinator for Radiology at Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. She promotes evidence-based processes to improve efficiency and achieve optimal results. Ms. Farrell is the author of Interventional Radiology – A Guide for Nurses and Radiology Technologists, and in 2018, a US Medicine Magazine article titled "Richmond VAMC Nurse Develops Interventional Radiology Manual" featured her book. She serves on several committees in her current role, including the Radiology Quality Improvement Committee, Radiology Joint Commission Readiness Committee, and the Veteran's Health Administration Interventional Radiology Field Advisory Committee. Additionally, Ms. Farrell implemented a Radiology Resident Orientation Program that cultivates the synergetic relationship with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine by introducing radiology residents to VA protocols.