With many teams reporting budget cuts and lack of buy-in from leadership, clinicians look for ways to promote their expertise and skills. Specialty certifications like the VA-BCCM can help you and your team stand out.
In 2022, Daniel Cartagena, BS, RVT, VA-BCCM, sought to make his knowledge of vascular access known to physicians and advanced practice providers. He found a certification exam — the Vascular Access-Board CertifiedCM credential — and dove in.
“It was the best way to speak to my commitment to treating patients and standard of care,” Cartagena said. “I’ve studied for this test for six months—and you know that I have to do CEs to hold this credential. It’s not that anyone can sit for it. You have to hold clinical experience in assessing, training, planning.”
“In a tough business setting, why would someone want to hire me as opposed to anyone else? I think that in the vascular access space, [the VA-BCCM] is it. This is the king.”
Cartagena’s duties in his role of a registered vascular technologist are a bit unique from other technologists. He assesses patients to determine which treatment plans fit their anatomy through ultrasounds, conducts post-operation exams to ensure the procedure was successful and without complications, and aids physicians in gaining access, often teaching other technologists, physicians, and advanced practice providers on best practice.
Some of these duties are outside of the normal scope of an RVT. He used the VA-BCCM as a tool to not only improve his existing knowledge but to market himself as a competent clinician carving his own path in his field.
“In a tough business setting, why would someone want to hire me as opposed to anyone else? I think that in the vascular access space, [the VA-BCCM] is it. This is the king.”
He also uses his credential as a signal to physicians that they can put their trust in him when working together. Over 4 in 5 clinicians agree that VA-BCCM clinicians are trusted by other members of their team, and that VA-BCCMs on staff have improved patient outcomes in their institution.
“I feel like it’s only helped my career,” he said. “It’s only helped me expand and grow, and ultimately to put myself in positions that are going to fit me, my quality of life, and my family’s quality of life.”
Cartagena continually seeks chances for additional learning. He uses social media as a tool to not only keep up to date on new advancements in the specialty, but to also network with other professionals and learn from their experiences.
“I can’t meet all of these people in the flesh, right? So I try to network as much as I can, drop comments, and see where that leads.”
Cartagena hopes to see more technologists advancing their knowledge in the coming years, and he hopes to take on more duties educating other professionals in vascular access.
If you’re ready to stand out in your career, take our eligibility quiz and find out more about the VA-BCCM exam.
