Date of Conferral
2015
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Allison Terry
Abstract
This study addressed an increasing number of peripheral intravenous catheter infiltrations within hospitals, leading to problems such as phlebitis and cellulitis, which may result in a longer length of hospital stay. The purpose of this project was to determine how to reduce infiltrations in order to increase the longevity of the catheter. A quantitative, description design was used, guided by Abdellah's classification framework for identifying nursing problems. The target population was 50 patients experiencing incidents of peripheral intravenous catheter infiltration, identified in a patient safety event log used across a 252-bed hospital. Each incident was assessed for several risk factors, such as age, diagnosis, length of time of catheter use, co-morbidities, size of catheter used for insertion, and how many medications were being administrated intravenously. Using descriptive statistics, the combination of patient co-morbidities had a direct correlation with increased probability of infiltration before 96 hours. Among 82% of patients, co-morbidities included hypertension in 56% of subjects, advancing age, and placement of the catheter in the upper arm. Data play a significant role in decisions to change clinical practice and protocols. Findings from this study related to peripheral intravenous catheter insertions, and their maintenance can drive changes across a healthcare organization.
Recommended Citation
Banks, Janise Marrisette, "Identifying Risk Factors for High Incidence of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters Complications: Reducing Infiltration Rate within the Hospital" (2015). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 1615.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1615
