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.