Ketacha Maragh, MSN, RN, VA-BC™, CRNI is a social media influencer focused on vascular access education. Her content is informative and funny, often at the same time. She makes complex topics approachable through her affable personality. Check out her Instagram @iv_key_ and YouTube youtube.com/@IVKeyTV.
When I began my role as a vascular access nurse in 2017, I never could have anticipated that social media would become one of the most influential tools for learning and teaching that I would utilize. What began as a way to share quick tips about IVs expanded into a conversation between nurses of all levels, including new graduates, and has taught me just as much as I have taught others. Below are some of the key takeaways from the experience that vascular access has provided for me.
1. New Grads are Hungry for Vascular Access Knowledge
One of the lessons is the lack of formalized vascular access education that many new nurses are receiving—and their willingness to absorb it. Topics such as basic vein anatomy, site, or IV failure are some of the most interactive pieces of content I have, simply because new nurses want assurance, not shortcuts, and social media provided a haven in which they could pose the questions they are fearful of asking in the hospital setting.
2. Many IV “rules” are really habits, not evidence
Social media has helped to reveal how often nurses are told, “This is just how we do it” instead of “Why we do it.” Questions such as, “Why can’t we use this vein?” or “Why does this IV keep infiltrating?” have led to the inclusion of evidence-based conversations based on INS Standards and research, rather than tradition. Instruction on the “why” has been one of the most effective changes I have made in my content.
3. Vein evaluation is a skill—and it can be taught
Before social media, most nurses thought you either “had the IV touch” or you didn’t. With videos that broke down how to assess veins—looking, palpating, and knowing anatomy—I learned that confidence comes when nurses understand this is a skill that can be developed. Seeing nurses return months after taking my online class and being able to say, “I finally get it,” has been one of the most rewarding aspects for me.
4. Ultrasound is not cheating, it’s patient advocacy
One of the themes that appears in my comments is the guilt of using ultrasound. I often hear nurses call it “cheating” or “a crutch, as if to say palpation is the best way to place an IV. Social media brought to light how strongly the culture of “try one more time” is ingrained. Educating nurses about how the early use of ultrasound prevents complications, saves veins, and enhances patient satisfaction helped integrate ultrasound into practice.
5. Patients feel everything—physically and emotionally
Sharing patient-centered vascular access content was consistently well-received. Nurses reacted well to messages about how every poke counts. Social media platforms were used to reinforce the idea that patients remember IV experiences, particularly painful ones, and that vascular access is often the first encounter with nursing practice.
6. Confidence improves outcomes
I’ve learned that hesitant hands lead to hesitant results. When nurses understand anatomy, device selection, and technique, their success rate improves—and so does confidence. Social media enabled me to normalize the learning curve while still promoting excellence.
7. Device selection is equally important as device insertion
Many questions I get are not about how to begin an IV—but rather, which one to use. What I learned from instructing on catheter size, length, dwell, and escalation pathways was just how often the wrong device is used, and how this affects failure, not skill.
8. Vascular access nurses are frequently underutilized—and misunderstood
It quickly became apparent through online discussions that many centers still view vascular access as a “task” rather than a specialty. Social media outlets have made it easier to draw attention to the critical thinking, assessment, and judgment required of—and the importance of early consultation in—this role.
9. Nurses learn best when education is practical and visual
Videos breaking down one concept at a time are always more effective than lectures. Social media platforms have shown me the effectiveness of micro-learning and the examples nurses witness daily.
10. Vascular access education is about empowering nurses, not controlling access to knowledge
The greatest takeaway, however, is that disseminating knowledge does not decrease but rather multiply one’s area of expertise. Being part of seeing new nurses grow in confidence to become proficient IV starters and to see nurses at the bedside promote sound access decisions has reminded me why the work I do online is important.
About the author: Ketacha Maragh, MSN, RN, VA-BC™, CRNI is a registered nurse with more than a decade of experience in nursing since 2013. Her nursing experience includes medical-surgical nursing, critical care, vascular access, and nurse education. Since 2017, she has been passionate about vascular access and specialized in peripheral IV placement, midlines, and PICCs. She obtained her VA-BC™ and CRNI credentials in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Ketacha currently practices as a vascular access nurse at a major hospital while teaching as a clinical and lab instructor at a post-baccalaureate nursing program. Teaching vascular access, particularly to new graduate nurses, is her area of interest, as it aims to enhance patient outcomes through evidence-based practice.
