title: Effects of local heat application before intravenous catheter insertion in chemotherapy patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise the effects of local heat application on the ease of subsequent intravenous catheter insertion.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Intravenous catheter insertion is a challenging procedure for both nurses and chemotherapy patients. The local application of heat to the area before intravenous catheter insertion may decrease these difficulties by increasing venous distension and visibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was an open label experimental study involving intervention and control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients receiving chemotherapy were divided into intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups. For patients in the intervention group, a digital moist heating pad was applied to the arm prepared for catheter insertion for 10 minutes in addition to routine care. No additional preparation procedure beyond routine care was performed for control patients. Data were collected using a data collection form and evaluated using chi square, Fisher's exact chi square, Student's t, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon and Pearson correlation tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Local application of heat decreased patients' pain (p = 0·011), increased the rate of successful catheter placement at first attempt (p = 0·004), decreased the catheterisation procedure time (p = 0·001) and decreased nurse-perceived difficulty during catheter placement (p = 0·001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local application of heat before the catheterisation procedure is suggested for patients receiving chemotherapy, particularly in cases where visibility of the veins is poor and intravenous catheter insertion is difficult.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local application of heat results in vasodilation, and thus intravenous catheter insertion becomes easier. Our findings have important implications for nurses who care for chemotherapy patients. The inclusion of local heat application before catheterisation as a preparation step is suitable to be implemented by nurses in other hospitals and clinics where chemotherapy is provided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Karadeniz Technical University, 61080, Trabzon, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biyik Bayram
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Gazi University, 06600, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurcan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Caliskan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010147:Pain Measurement
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: catheter; chemotherapy; intravenous; moist heating pad; vasodilation