Patients' experiences of the PICC insertion procedure

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Patient Experience
• Oncology Nursing

Background:

• Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) are crucial central venous access devices for therapies like chemotherapy.
• Placement is performed by various specialists, with increasing involvement of nurses.
• Limited understanding exists regarding patient perspectives on the PICC insertion process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and identify patient experiences with PICC insertion in a chemotherapy day unit.
• To gather qualitative data on patient feelings and perceptions during the procedure.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients recently undergoing PICC insertion.
• Qualitative data analysis was employed to identify emergent themes.

Main Results:

• Five key themes emerged: the context of cancer, patient expectations, pain and anxiety levels, coping strategies, and the quality of explanation received.
• Findings align with existing knowledge but offer new insights into managing patient expectations and anxiety.
• The study highlights the importance of tailored explanations and support for individual coping mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Patient experiences with PICC insertion are significantly influenced by the cancer context.
• Implications for practice include enhancing patient education, anxiety management, and support for coping strategies.
• Further research with diverse patient populations is recommended to validate these findings.