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Pediatric blood sample collection from a pre-existing peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter
Heather Braniff1, Ann DeCarlo1, Amy Corey Haskamp2
1Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health North Hospital, Carmel, IN.
Insights
Collecting blood from a pre-existing peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter in hospitalized children is effective and minimizes pain. This method demonstrated a high success rate with minimal complications, making it a viable option for pediatric blood draws.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Clinical Nursing
- Medical Device Utilization
Background:
- Hospitalized children often require frequent blood draws.
- Pain and distress associated with venipuncture can be significant.
- Pre-existing peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters offer a potential alternative for blood collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and safety of collecting blood samples from pre-existing PIV catheters in pediatric patients.
- To determine the success rate and complication prevalence of PIV blood draws.
- To assess the impact on PIV functionality post-collection.
Main Methods:
- Observational study design.
- Review of 150 blood samples collected from pediatric PIV catheters.
- Documentation of specimen usability, blood draw success rate, and PIV functionality after collection.
Main Results:
- A high success rate of 91.3% for blood draws from PIVs was observed.
- Only one clotted specimen (0.7%) was reported out of 150 samples.
- A low incidence of PIVs becoming non-functional (1.3%) after blood collection was noted.
Conclusions:
- Blood specimen collection via pre-existing PIV catheters is a successful and safe procedure in pediatric patients.
- This method reduces the need for repeated venipuncture, thereby minimizing pain and distress.
- Utilizing PIVs for blood draws should be strongly considered in pediatric care settings.
Abstract:
Aiming to minimize pain in a hospitalized child, the purpose of this observational study was to describe characteristics of blood samples collected from pre-existing peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters in pediatric patients. One hundred and fifty blood samples were reviewed for number of unusable samples requiring a specimen to be re-drawn. Success of the blood draw and prevalence of the loss of the PIV following blood collection was also measured. Findings included one clotted specimen, success rate of 91.3%, and 1.3% of PIVs becoming non-functional after collection. Obtaining blood specimens from a pre-existing PIV should be considered in a pediatric patient.
