Establishing safe nursing coverage can prevent complications with the peripheral venous catheter, according to two new GRIN-IDIBELL publications

  • Two recent studies led by the GRIN-IDIBELL Nursing Research Group show the impact of the number of nurses and the complexity of care on complications associated with the peripheral venous catheter of patients treated in hospitalization and emergencies. 
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94% of patients treated at the hospital require the insertion of a peripheral venous catheter. Such devices are necessary for the administration of intravenous medication, but they are not without complications. The first study, published in the journal Plos One, shows that almost 6% of hospitalized patients have complications related to the peripheral venous catheter, the most common being phlebitis and extravasation. 

Among the factors associated with a higher incidence of complications is nursing coverage, which indicates the ratio of nursing hours provided in relation to the hours required per patient. It is also associated with patient characteristics such as female gender, catheter days, hemodynamic instability, uncontrolled pain, communication disorders, high risk of bleeding, consciousness level disorders or lack of caregiver, all of which are risk factors for suffering a catheter-related complication. 

On the other hand, the second study, which has been carried out with patients treated in the Emergency Department, shows a prevalence of complications related to the peripheral venous catheter close to 1%. The results, published in the journal BMJ Open, show that the factors associated with complications are incontinence, hemodynamic instability, transmissible infection, vascular fragility, anxiety/fear, impaired adaptation, consciousness level disturbances, lack of caregiver and agitation. 

Both studies show that the greater number of care complexity factors and nursing coverage are associated with complications related to the peripheral venous catheter. Therefore, these studies conclude the need to identify patients at risk of complications at an early stage and the need to establish safe nursing coverage in the hospital setting in order to establish improvements in the management of patients at higher risk. 

About GRIN-IDIBELL 

The GRIN-IDIBELL Nursing Research Group focuses its research on ethical and social aspects of nursing, and on the management of care and sensitive outcomes in nursing practice. They are interested in technological innovation in health, new therapeutic applications, information systems and artificial intelligence, in addition to the promotion of health and care provision to vulnerable populations. 

 

The Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) is a biomedical research center created in 2004. It is participated by the Bellvitge University Hospital and the Viladecans Hospital of the Catalan Institute of Health, the Catalan Institute of Oncology, the University of Barcelona and the City Council of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.

IDIBELL is a member of the Campus of International Excellence of the University of Barcelona HUBc and is part of the CERCA institution of the Generalitat de Catalunya. In 2009 it became one of the first five Spanish research centers accredited as a health research institute by the Carlos III Health Institute. In addition, it is part of the “HR Excellence in Research” program of the European Union and is a member of EATRIS and REGIC. Since 2018, IDIBELL has been an Accredited Center of the AECC Scientific Foundation (FCAECC).

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