POCUS for Vascular Access: IVs, Midlines, and Modern Peripheral Solutions

Tuesday, April 14, 2026

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM PT

Location: Grand Crescent - 4th Floor

Workshop Lead Faculty(s)

Yash Chavda, DO, MBA, FAAEM

Director of Emergency Ultrasound
NYU Langone Long Island
Floral Park, New York

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Workshop Facilitator(s)

Maura Walsh, MD (she/her/hers)

Assistant Clinical Professor of EM
UCSF Fresno
Fresno, California

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Jeff Greco

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Jessica K. Fujimoto, MD, FAAEM FACEP (she/her/hers)

Physician
St. Johns Regional Medical Center
Camarillo, California

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
RZ

Rudi Zurbechen, MD

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Disclosure(s):

Yash Chavda, DO, MBA, FAAEM: No financial relationships to disclose

Maura Walsh, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Jeff Greco: No financial relationships to disclose

Jessica K. Fujimoto, MD, FAAEM FACEP: No financial relationships to disclose

Rudi Zurbechen, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

When faced with patients who are “difficult sticks,” emergency physicians often waste time with repeated blind IV attempts or escalate prematurely to central lines. Ultrasound guidance empowers clinicians to secure reliable vascular access quickly and safely, and now, with the integration of midline catheters, we have a new option for patients needing longer-term, low-risk access.

This talk will cover a practical, evidence-based approach to using POCUS for difficult peripheral IV placement and introduce the role of midlines in the ED setting. Attendees will learn how to identify appropriate candidates, master ultrasound-guided cannulation techniques, and determine when to escalate from standard IVs to midline catheters; all while avoiding unnecessary central lines.

Learning Objectives:

Apply dynamic ultrasound guidance techniques to improve success with difficult peripheral IV access.
Identify appropriate indications for midline catheter placement in the emergency department.
Compare peripheral IVs, midlines, and central lines based on dwell time, complication risk, and access needs.