title: Predictors of success in nurse-performed ultrasound-guided cannulation.
abstract: The objective of this study was to characterize factors affecting the success rate of nurse-performed ultrasound (US)-guided peripheral vein cannulation in difficult access patients. We prospectively enrolled patients who had two previous unsuccessful i.v. attempts. Nurses were trained in US-guided cannulation using a 7.5-MHz linear probe. The following characteristics were recorded: 1) reason for difficult access, 2) which upper arm veins could be sonographically visualized, 3) cannulation success, and 4) one- or two-person technique used. One hundred patients were enrolled. The cannulation success rate was 63%. Cannulation of the basilic vein was successful in 39 of 55 attempts (71%), whereas the success rate for the brachial vein was only 19 of 46 attempts (41%). The reason for difficult access and the one- or two-person technique did not affect success rate. The basilic vein was the best choice for cannulation, and the one-person technique was as successful as the two-person technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Community Regional Medical Center, UCSF-Fresno Medical Education Program, Fresno, California 93701, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chinnock
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: Gregory W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Hendey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional