Peripheral Intravenous Catheters for Hospitalised Older People: A Scoping Review

Peripheral intravenous catheter insertion is the most frequently performed invasive procedure in healthcare. Age-related physiological factors and chronic health conditions can influence how older people experience catheter-related complications, underscoring the need for clinical practices that address diverse needs. Although peripheral intravenous catheters are widely used in hospitalised populations, research specifically exploring their use, outcomes, and associated experiences in older people remains limited. This scoping review addresses this gap by mapping the available literature on peripheral intravenous catheter use in hospitalised older people to identify the characteristics of the existing evidence and opportunities for future research.

This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and was reported to have applied the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews. An electronic medical database search was conducted including MEDLINE (Web of Science), CINAHL Complete (EbscoHost), PubMed (NCBI), Scopus (Elsevier), Emcare (Ovid) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. A systematic grey literature search was also undertaken. The review was limited to publications since the year 2000.

Thirty sources from 12 different countries were included. The evidence types consisted of observational studies (n = 15), experimental studies (n = 2), education summaries (n = 7), clinical practice guidelines (n = 2), a scoping review (n = 1), a bibliographic review of guidelines (n = 1), a book chapter (n = 1) and a letter to the editor (n = 1). Most studies were observational with small sample sizes. The review identified key topics relating to older people including peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, complications, clinician practices, physiological ageing and patient experiences. Pain and satisfaction were the only two experience measures identified. Definitions of 'older people' varied, and no qualitative evidence related to experiences specific to this population was identified.

Although a range of evidence types exists, substantial knowledge gaps remain. The literature is dominated by small observational studies, underscoring the need for robust experimental research. The absence of qualitative studies highlights a critical gap in understanding patient experience.

Future research should employ both high-quality quantitative and qualitative methodologies to support the development of patient-centred, evidence-based peripheral intravenous catheter practices for hospitalised older people.