MADERA, Calif. — The vascular access team at Valley Children’s doesn’t just place lines, they build trust with patients and families — and Erica Guzman sees every patient visit as a chance to make a difference.
As a charge nurse for the vascular access team, Guzman and her colleagues are responsible for placing a variety of access lines — including arterial lines, PICC lines and IVs — for patients ranging from premature infants weighing just 500 grams to young adults.
“In this role, I have found that I’m able to connect with families and patients on a deeper level,” Guzman said. “I’m not just going into a room to do a procedure, I’m there to listen. I’ve developed some awesome relationships with families and patients, and that’s so rewarding.”
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The team’s work goes beyond technical skill. Guzman said they are not only proceduralists, but also patient advocates.
“When we go to bedside, we’re listening to the patient and the parents’ needs,” she said.
One of the team’s standout capabilities is their precision. Guzman said they can calculate vessels as small as 1.7 millimeters and often succeed with a single attempt — a skill that helps minimize the impact on young patients.
Innovation is also central to their mission. Guzman says that Valley Children’s is among the first pediatric hospitals in the U.S. to use ultrasound to determine PICC tip termination — a technique that allows the team to be ultra precise in their work.
The team has trained nurses across departments to use ultrasound, a move that has had a noticeable impact on patient experience.
“As a parent, no one wants to see their child hurt or cry, or have to be poked. More often than not, we leave the room with parents and children smiling. And I love being a part of that,” she said.
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Guzman said the team regularly collaborates with other departments to find new ways to improve care and comfort for patients.
“It’s a wonderful feeling being a part of that innovative process, bringing in new products, improving patient care so our kids at the hospital can receive the treatment they need in order to go home,” she said.
For Guzman, each patient provides an opportunity to show compassion and empathy — and to make a lasting impact on a young life.
“It’s very rewarding. I mean, I go home at night and I just count my blessings, but I get to be a part of something so amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else.”
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