Maria Giannakopoulou is an experienced Vascular Access Clinical Nurse Specialist with years of experience in the speciality.
She is the Lead CNS in the Vascular Access Unit at Cambridge University Hospitals ( a nurse-led unit) , which is nationally and internationally renowned for its clinical expertise in vascular access procedures. She is dedicated to improving the vascular access standards and clinical outcomes for patients and is responsible for all vascular access governance and practice in the Trust.
She is a skilled CNS who places PICC lines, tunnelled CVADs, Totally Implantable Vascular Access Devices (portacaths), acute CVCs and performs complex line reviews.
Maria has a demonstrated history of teaching Central line care and maintenance to nurses and allied health professionals in the hospital setting; she is an actively involved clinician and participates in various initiatives and projects.
Locally, she is instrumental in defining the Local Safety Standards for Invasive Procedures (LocSSIPs) for all vascular access procedures. After identifying areas of improvement and opportunity, she has utilised audit, clinical research, leadership and data analysis to the service's benefit. Maria sits in the hospital ANTT work group, the Intestinal Rehabilitation service meeting, cancer professional meetings and various other steering groups.
Nationally, she is member of NIVAS and she has represented CUH Vascular Access unit with several posters in its Conferences.
Internationally, she is member of WoCoVa where again she proudly represented CUH and the Vascular Access Unit.