The learning curve for ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation in adults: a multicenter study.

AIMS: To lower the threshold for applying ultrasound (US) guidance during peripheral intravenous cannulation, nurses need to be trained and gain experience in using this technique. The primary outcome was to quantify the number of procedures novices require to perform before competency in US-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation was achieved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter prospective observational study, divided into two phases after a theoretical training session: a hands-on training session and a supervised life-case training session. The number of US-guided peripheral intravenous cannulations a participant needed to perform in the life-case setting to become competent was the outcome of interest. Cusum analysis was used to determine the learning curve of each individual participant. RESULTS: Forty-nine practitioners participated and performed 1855 procedures. First attempt cannulation success was 73% during the first procedure, but increased to 98% on the fortieth attempt (p<0.001). The overall first attempt success rate during this study was 93%. The cusum learning curve for each practitioner showed that a mean number of 34 procedures was required to achieve competency. Time needed to perform a procedure successfully decreased when more experience was achieved by the practitioner, from 14±3 minutes on first proce-dure to 3±1 minutes during the fortieth procedure (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Competency in US-guided peripheral intravenous cannulation can be gained after following a fixed educational curriculum, resulting in an increased first attempt cannulation success as the number of performed procedures increased.

The impact of a notched peripheral intravenous catheter on the first attempt success rate in hospitalized adults: Block-randomized trial.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral intravenous cannulation is the preferred method to obtain vascular access, but not always successful on the first attempt. Evidence on the impact of the intravenous catheter itself on the success rate is lacking. Faster visualization of blood flashback into the catheter, as a result of a notched needle, is thought to increase first attempt success rate. The current study aimed to assess if inserting a notched peripheral intravenous catheter will increase first attempt cannulation success up to 90%, when compared to inserting a catheter without a notched needle. DESIGN: In this block-randomized trial, adult patients in the intervention group got a notched peripheral intravenous catheter inserted, patients in the control group received a traditional non-notched catheter. The primary objective was the first attempt success rate of peripheral intravenous cannulation. Intravenous cannulation was performed according to practice guidelines and hospital policy. RESULTS: About 328 patients were included in the intervention group and 330 patients in the control group. First attempt success was 85% and 79% for the intervention and control group respectively. First attempt success was remarkably higher in the intervention group regarding patients with a high risk for failed cannulation (29%), when compared to the control group (10%). CONCLUSION: This study was unable to reach a first attempt success of 90%, although first attempt cannulation success was higher in patients who got a notched needle inserted when compared to those who got a non-notched needle inserted, unless a patients individual risk profile for a difficult intravenous access.

Digital Self-Management Support Tools in the Care Plan of Patients With Cancer: Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Digital self-management support tools (DSMSTs)-electronic devices or monitoring systems to monitor or improve health status-have become increasingly important in cancer care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to analyze published randomized clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of DSMSTs on physical and psychosocial symptoms or other supportive care needs in adult patients with cancer. METHODS: Five databases were searched from January 2013 to January 2020. English or Dutch language randomized controlled trials comparing DSMSTs with no intervention, usual care, alternative interventions, or a combination and including patients aged ≥18 years with pathologically proven cancer in the active treatment or survivorship phases were included. The results were summarized qualitatively. RESULTS: A total of 19 publications describing 3 types of DSMSTs were included. Although the content, duration, and frequency of interventions varied considerably across studies, the commonly used elements included an assessment component, tailored symptom self-management support, an information section, a communication section, and a diary. Significant positive effects were observed on quality of life in 6 (out of 10) studies, on anxiety in 1 (out of 5) study and depression in 2 (out of 8) studies, on symptom distress in 5 (out of 7) studies, on physical activity in 4 (out of 6) studies, on dietary behavior in 1 (out of 4) study, and on fatigue in 2 (out of 5) studies. Moreover, significant negative effects were observed on anxiety in 1 (out of 5) study and depression in 1 (out of 8) study. Most interventions were web-based interventions; 2 studies used mobile apps, and 1 study used a game as a DSMST. The overall quality of the studies was found to be good, with 13 out of 19 studies classified as high quality. CONCLUSIONS: This review suggests that DSMSTs have a beneficial effect on the quality of life. For effects on other patient outcomes (eg, anxiety and depression, symptom distress, physical activity, dietary behavior, and fatigue), the evidence is inconsistent and limited or no effect is suggested. Future research should focus on specific tumor types, study different types of interventions separately, and assess the effects of specific interventions at different stages of disease progression.

Cost-utilization of peripheral intravenous cannulation in hospitalized adults: An observational study.

AIM: In modern healthcare there is increased focus on optimizing efficiency for every treatment or performed procedure, of which reduction of costs is an important part. With this study, authors aimed to calculate the cost of peripheral intravenous cannulation including all components that influence its price. METHODS: This observational cost-utilization study was conducted between May and October 2016. Hospitalized adults were included in this study, who received usual care. Peripheral intravenous cannulation was carried out according to current hospital protocols, based on international standards for peripheral intravenous catheter insertion. Device costs were assumed equal to the number of attempts multiplied by the fixed supply costs and applicable costs for additional attempts, whereas personnel costs for both nurses and physicians were based on their hourly salary. RESULTS: A total of 1512 patients were included in this study, with a mean of 1.37 (±0.77) attempts and a mean time of 3.5 (±2.7) min were needed for a successful catheter insertion. Adjusted mean costs for peripheral intravenous cannulation were estimated to be €11.67 for each patient, but costs increase as the number of attempts for successful cannulation increases. The cost for patients with a successful first attempt was lower, at approximately €9.32 but increased markedly to €65.34 when five attempts were needed. CONCLUSION: Prevention of multiple attempts may lower the costs, and furthermore, additional technologies applied by nurses to individual patients based on predicted difficult intravenous access will make the application of these additional technologies, in turn, more efficient.

Clinical use of electrical stimulation with the Veinplicity® device and its effect on the first attempt success rate of peripheral intravenous cannulation: A non-randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral intravenous cannulation is one of the most frequently performed medical procedures. Venodilation, which can be achieved with different techniques, is an important factor for first attempt success. The objective of this study was to compare the first attempt success rates upon peripheral intravenous cannulation after applying a tourniquet, with venous dilation by electrical stimulation using the Veinplicity® device, or a combination of both techniques, in participants at moderate risk of a difficult peripheral intravenous access. METHODS: This non-randomized clinical trial was carried out in adult patients divided into three parallel study groups, consisting of cannulation with a tourniquet (control group), cannulation after electrical stimulation without using a tourniquet (intervention group 1), and cannulation after applying electrical stimulation followed by the application of a tourniquet on the selected upper extremity (intervention group 2). The primary outcome was the first attempt success rate of peripheral intravenous catheter placement. RESULTS: In all, 141 participants were included in this study, with an overall success rate of 86%. Success rates of 78%, 88%, and 92% were observed in the control group, intervention group 1, and intervention group 2, respectively (p = 0.25, χ2 = 2.771, df = 2). A higher first attempt success rate was detected in participants in intervention group 2, when compared to the control group (p = 0.04, χ2 = 4.63, df = 1). CONCLUSION: Increase in first attempt success was clinically relevant when electrical stimulation with the Veinplicity® device was combined with the application of a tourniquet in participants at moderate risk of a difficult peripheral intravenous access.

Pain upon inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter: Size does not matter.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 1.2 billion peripheral intravenous catheters are inserted across the world annually. It is known that intravenous cannulation may be a painful procedure, which affects cognitive abilities by increasing anxiety and discomfort. AIM: We hypothesized that inserting a smaller sized peripheral intravenous catheter has a lower level of pain sensation compared to a larger sized catheter. METHODS: This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted between May and October 2016, in which surgical patients, aged 18 years or older, were eligible to participate. Experienced anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists routinely obtained peripheral intravenous access according to the standards of care. The primary outcome was pain (verbal numeric rating scale, 0-10) upon intravenous cannulation. RESULTS: A total of 1063 patients were included and they were divided into four groups: group 1, 22 gauge (N = 29); group 2, 20 gauge (N = 447); group 3, 18 gauge (N = 531); and group 4, sized over 18 gauge (N = 56). Inserting an 18-gauged peripheral intravenous catheter resulted in the lowest pain score (3.2 ± 2.0). As a result of the multivariate linear analysis, five factors were significantly associated with pain upon inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter (sex, American Society of Anesthesiology classification, a patients risk profile on the A-DIVA scale, site of cannulation on the extremity, and whether or not the attempt was successful); however, the size of the inserted peripheral intravenous catheter had no significant relation to the primary outcome. CONCLUSION: Inserting a smaller sized peripheral intravenous catheter did not result in a lower pain sensation. Moreover, to prevent pain upon inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter, an unsuccessful attempt must be avoided.