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Background: Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) sales per year exceed that of the number of people in the United States (US), 350 million. With only 37 million US hospital patient admissions per year, these data indicate an average usage of 10 PIVCs per patient admission, suggesting a very high failure, very low success rate, and excess cost associated with PIVC insertions. Patients often complain of multiple catheter insertion attempts, and published data reveal up to 53% of PIVCs fail before therapy ends. Methods: Hartford Hospital (Hartford, CT) conducted a prospective comparator single-center clinical superiority design study to determine the impact of bundled practices including device insertions using vascular access specialty team (VAST) intravenous trained nurses versus current practice. The study used a 5 step multimodal best practice intervention strategy designated as the PIV5Rights Bundle with an aim to determine if the intervention outcomes and dwell time improved over current PIVC practices. The study group applied a Lean health care standard work process with a Six Sigma design, define, measure, analyze, improve, control approach that included VAST PIVC dwell time, complications, and economic impact compared with current state general nursing practice. Results: Outcomes of the PIV5Rights Bundle in Group 2 (experimental) using a trained vascular access nursing team for insertion and management achieved a statistically significant result of 89% of catheters achieving end of therapy with a cost saving per bed of $3376 ($1405 versus $4781) per year as compared to standard practice (Group 1; control). Results of Group 1 reflected PIVC dwell time to end of treatment in only 15% of catheters. Prestudy catheter consumption analysis was 4.4 catheters per patient hospital admissions, reflecting waste within labor and supply costs for PIVC insertion and usage. Peripheral intravenous catheter retrospective audits for current practice demonstrated more than 50% catheters failed within the first 24 hours. This application of Lean methodology by Hartford Hospital with infusion therapy resulted in a projected $2.9 million annual savings of $3376 per bed per year for house-wide application. Conclusions: Implementation of the PIV5Rights™ Bundle with a dedicated VAST proved to be a successful model, both from a patient and financial perspective. The journey to nursing excellence included identification of core measures and best practice evidence for PIVC placements as a procedure that affects nearly every patient entering a hospital. By centralizing ownership of vascular access with the team for insertion, management, and securement, the PIV Five Rights is the right approach to achieve the right results in transformation of hospital infusion therapy practices. Bundled approaches have often been used for central catheter infection reduction. This is the first study the authors have identified focusing on 1 PIVC per patient visit as a result of an evidencebased bundle and VAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current peripheral intravenous catheter (PIV) first attempt success averages 47%, complications 47%, and dwell time 44 hours. Multiple intravenous (IV) access lines requiring replacement during each admission result in poor satisfaction and unnecessary costs. With 2011 Infusion Nursing Society standards allowing IV lines to dwell until complication, there is incentive to explore improvement opportunities. Purpose: A new, proprietary coiled tip guidewire PIV was compared with conventional IV catheters in adult patients. The experimental IV catheter was projected to have a higher rate of successful placement on first attempt, fewer complications, longer dwell times, higher completion of therapy, higher user satisfaction, and lower overall costs than conventional catheters. Methods: Adult patients requiring nonemergent IV catheters provided consent and were enrolled and randomized. The study, conducted over 4 months, included 248 patients (experimental IV group n = 123, conventional IV group n = 125). Results: Experimental IV first attempt success was 89% compared with 47% for the conventional catheter. Fifty percent of conventional IV placements required a second attempt. Experimental IV complications occurred 8% of the time and complications occurred with the conventional catheter 52% of the time. Completion of therapy was 89% with the experimental IV versus 34% with the conventional IV (P < .001). Dwell time improved with the experimental IV (mean 4.4 days [105 hours] vs conventional IV at 1.5 days [35 hours]) (P < .001). Overall patient satisfaction using a 5-point Likert scale scored an average of 4.5 with the experimental IV compared with the conventional IV, which scored 3. Conclusions: A new, proprietary coiled tip guidewire-delivered PIV demonstrated clear superiority over the conventional catheter in our study. Clinical outcome results showed statistically significant improvements in first attempt success, complications, completion of therapy, dwell time, and overall patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Significance: Many hospitalized patients require an intravenous (IV) catheter to maintain vascular access or for administration of fluids and medications. The best approach to attaining peripheral intravenous (PIV) access for long term therapy is unknown, particularly in patients with a history of difficult IV placement. Purpose: To measure clinical outcomes using a Modified Seldinger Technique (MST) with ultrasound (US) guidance to achieve and maintain PIV for long term IV therapy. Methods: Subjects were patients with a history of difficult peripheral intravenous catheter placement and need for IV therapy longer than 72 hours. Modified Seldinger Technique was used with US guidance to place all PIVs in the deep veins of the upper extremities. Results: A convenience sample of 157 subjects was enrolled in the study. Mean dwell time for catheter duration was seven days. First attempt placement success was 95%, 88.5% of patients had completion of IV therapy, and a low overall complication rate (9.57/1000 catheter days). Conclusion: Using MST for access for long term PTV therapy was associated with low complications and effective in our study population. Using MST requires specialized knowledge and skills, including the use of US and specialized insertion techniques. In patients who require extended PIV therapy with a history of difficult IV placement, this type of insertion technique may have benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although it is common for central line catheters to develop a thrombotic occlusion, pediatric patients are at especially high risk of occlusion due to smaller vessels, smaller-gauge catheters, and slower rates of infusion. Mitigating catheter occlusions is costly, requiring tissue plasminogen activator, supplies, and nursing time. Our facility tested a novel neutral displacement needle-free valve designed to reduce occlusion. Methodology The organization determined a baseline occlusion rate for Hickman/Broviac catheters, in our 38-bed inpatient hematology/oncology department and our outpatient hematology/oncology clinic from August 2010 through October 2010. In 2011, a premarket test of the Neutron device (ICU Medical, San Clemente, CA) was conducted on the units. Based on the positive trial results, it was decided to implement the device housewide in December 2012. Results A comparison of baseline central line complete occlusion rates from August to October 2010 with Neutron trial data from July to October 2011. This pilot project demonstrated a 74.3% reduction (from a rate of 3.82 to a rate of 0.98) in all hematology/oncology department Hickman and Broviac complete catheter occlusions. Subsequently, comparing 5 months of housewide occlusion data from June through October 2012 to 2013, complete occlusions fell by 32.1% (from a rate of 1.56 to a rate of 1.06). Conclusions The use of the Neutron needle-free catheter patency device was associated with a reduction in complete occlusions. The corresponding reduction in treatment delays, nursing time spent managing occluded catheters, and fewer needlesticks to patients likely translates to financial benefit for the organization and improved patient and family satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]