Staff Spotlight

J. BLAKE HOTCHKISS BSN, RN, CCRN, CRNI, VA-BC™

POSITION AT AVA: Clinical Education Specialist SUPPORT SYSTEM: My girlfriend, our children, our families. FAVORITE MOVIE: I’m more of a Netflix or Hulu series binge watcher. But if I had to pick a movie, Shawshank Redemption was one of my favorite movies growing up. It’s also based in my home state of Maine. FAVORITE QUOTE: “When you were made a leader you weren’t given a crown, you were given the responsibility to bring out the best in others.” -Jack Welch MY ESCAPE: Going back to my childhood home on the coast of Maine. Always feels good to work on the old homestead and enjoy the tranquility of a place that is so far removed from the hustle and bustle of my everyday life. FAVORITE CITY: Harborside, ME (AKA “the coast”) MY ROOTS: Born in Maine, raised in western Pennsylvania, then college and adult life in Maine. My father was a college professor and swimming/ diving coach. My mother is a genealogist and American history expert specializing in the Revolutionary War. This is where my strong work ethic, passion for research and academia, and love of nostalgia originate from. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT WORKING FOR AVA: My favorite thing is networking with my much larger family of colleagues (that’s all of you!). We are all “vascular access nerds” and have a unique personality compared to the rest of healthcare. I love being able to connect with my people and learn how similar we are in our passions for patient safety and care. Wherever you are in your journey with vascular access, I want to learn, and I want to help. WHAT DO YOU DO AT AVA: I work in the AVA Education Department and support the many volunteers that give their time. This includes hosting webinars, podcasts, and other outlets for knowledge sharing within our community and beyond. I am the staff liaison for the PediNeoSIG and the BacSIG, supporting their hard work in improving best practice. My other duties include managing projects like the development of the clinical practice guidelines and other current and future education products. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AT AVA: First is innovation. I want to take the mission and vision of AVA to places it has never been before. Second is growing the reach of the AVA and best practices in vascular access. We have a duty as specialists to support and educate in the generalist model of device insertion and maintenance. The objective is to shape and guide clinical practice so that it is safer for all patients. I ask myself, “How can I help others? How can I remove barriers? How can I help clinicians make a difference for their patients wherever they work?” Let me know… I’m happy to help.