Variables Influencing Intravenous Catheterization Success by Final-Year Veterinary Students in the Emergency Room

Successful placement of intravenous catheters (IVC) is a basic and essential clinical skill for veterinary students. The purposes of this study were to determine the overall success rate for IVC placement in cats and dogs when final-year veterinary students are performing the procedure in a clinical setting, to determine if self-assessed experience level affects IVC placement success rates, and to identify factors affecting student success with this procedure. Final-year students were asked to complete an anonymous survey following each catheter placement attempt during their 3-week core emergency medicine rotation. The survey included self-assessed level of experience, patient species, indication for IVC placement, restrainer, catheter type, insertion site, use of sedation, and perceived degree of coaching. Success or failure in catheter placement was recorded and two attempts were allowed. A Chi-square test was used to evaluate differences between insertion outcomes in dogs and cats. A univariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between success and all other variables. A total of 256 catheters were attempted by students, with an overall success rate of 61%. The cephalic vein was associated with successful placement compared with the saphenous vein (p = .005). There was no relationship between successful catheter placement and self-assessed experience, species, indication for IVC placement, insertion site, use of sedation, catheter type, or restrainer. Final-year veterinary students do not master intravenous catheterization in the emergency room setting, and additional studies are required to improve clinical instruction in this area.