Pediatric peripheral i.v. insertion success rates.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Clinical Standards
• Vascular Access

Background:

• Peripheral intravenous (PIV) insertion is a common procedure in inpatient settings.
• Establishing clear practice standards and success rates for registered nurses (RNs) is crucial for patient care quality.
• Previous data on PIV insertion success rates among RN staff were limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine an acceptable practice standard for PIV insertion.
• To evaluate the insertion success rates of inpatient medical/surgical RN staff.
• To define a maximum number of attempts for PIV insertion by RNs.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, non-randomized study design.
• Involved 249 total i.v. placements by inpatient medical/surgical RN staff.
• Data collected via self-report over 20 months across three separate occasions.

Main Results:

• First attempt PIV cannulation success rate was 53%.
• Success rate within two attempts was 67%.
• Success rate within four attempts reached 91%.
• Overall PIV placement success by RN staff was 85%.

Conclusions:

• The standard of practice for PIV insertion is now defined as a maximum of four attempts by RN staff.
• This study provides a benchmark for PIV insertion success rates.
• Further data collection is recommended to substantiate this defined standard for PIV placement.