Peripheral venous catheters: a review of current practices.
Loss of peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter patency is a common problem in the clinical setting. A survey of all private and public hospitals in a metropolitan city in Australia was conducted to identify practices related to maintaining patency of PIV catheters. Eighty-three hospitals were surveyed and responses were obtained from all of them. Normal saline was the most commonly used solution for flushing. The frequency for flushing ranged from 4 to 12 hours, and the volume of the irrigant used ranged from 2 to 10 mL in those hospitals where flushing is routine practice. Policy documents were available from only a few hospitals to validate the practice reported. Significant diversity in practices was documented among healthcare organizations.
Fernandez
Ritin S
RS
Clinical Practice Review Network, Centre for Applied Nursing Research, Liverpool BC, NSW 1871, Australia.
Griffiths
Rhonda D
RD
Murie
Penny
P
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000451:nursing*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016304:Hospitals, Private; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016357:Infection Control Practitioners; D009517:New South Wales; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors
D000925:Anticoagulants; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D006493:Heparin