CVAD
Medical abbreviation · Nursing
| Stands for | Central venous access device |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
CVAD stands for Central venous access device, a nursing abbreviation.
Umbrella term for any device giving access to the central veins, including nontunneled central lines, PICCs, tunneled catheters such as Hickman lines and implanted ports. Flushing and dressing policies are often written for CVADs as a group.
Example: Pt has right chest CVAD (implanted port), accessed with 20g 1-inch Huber needle.
Usage notes
Implanted ports sit entirely under the skin and are accessed with a non-coring Huber needle, so they need no dressing when not in use. Tunneled catheters have a cuff that anchors in the tissue under the skin and lowers infection risk. Device choice depends on how long therapy lasts, the drugs used and patient preference.
Related abbreviations
More nursing abbreviations
- C&DB – Cough and deep breathe
- C/D/I – Clean, dry and intact
- c/o – Complains of
- CBG – Capillary blood glucose
- CBR – Complete bed rest
- CLD – Clear liquid diet
- CVC – Central venous catheter
- DAT – Diet as tolerated
- DSD – Dry sterile dressing
- DTI – Deep tissue injury
- EBP – Evidence-based practice
- eMAR – Electronic medication administration record
See all 90 nursing abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.