Exploration of the Current State of Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Complications and Documentation

Abstract

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) are the most commonly used invasive devices in acute care hospitals, with nurses being primarily responsible for the insertion and care of these devices. This point prevalence study aimed to describe current PIVC status and nursing documentation in a large, regional health care system and to explore variables associated with PIVC complications. The study was conducted with adult inpatients. There were 665 PIVCs included in the study. Dressings were clean, dry, and intact in 83% of observations; only 2.7% did not have a transparent dressing. Thirty-one percent of PIVCs were inserted in areas of flexion. Median dwell time was 2.39 days (± 2.36 days), with upper arm sites having the longest dwell time. Overall inter-rater reliability (IRR) for an infiltration or phlebitis score of 0 was high (97.4% and 92%, respectively). However, overall agreement was only 77.16% for infiltration and 40.07% for phlebitis, with significant disagreement as scores increased. Study findings support that there was strong compliance with the Infusion Nurses Society’s (INS) Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice vascular access practice recommendations; however, opportunities to improve infiltration/phlebitis assessment and documentation exist.