Evidence-Based Examples of Nurses’ Prevention of Peripheral Venous Catheter-Related Complications

Abstract

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the nurses’ use of evidence-based applications for the prevention of complications related to peripheral venous catheter (PVC) placement. Method: The study was conducted as a descriptive study between March -June 2016 at the medical, and surgical wards, and intensive care units of state hospital in the western part of Turkey. Hundred and thirty nurses who agreed to participate in the study constituted the sample size of the study. Data were collected using the forms prepared in accordance with the literature data. Results: This study has shown that 75.7% of the nurses participated in the study emphasized that any form was not used in the evaluation of the PVC in their clinics. According to the responses of the nurses to the questions about the application of PVC; 55.2% of PVC applications were realized using polyurethane material to reduce the risk of complication, upper extremity veins were preferred by 87% of adults, and 41.7% of the participants washed their hands with soap and water before PVC placement. In addition, 64.3% of the nurses stated that aseptic technique should always be used during the PVC placement, while 70% alcohol was used by 44.3% of them to provide the cleaning / asepsis of the catheter entry site. Half of the participants (50%) emphasized dressing change on PVC entry site to prevent pollution and looseness and so on. Besides 41.3% of them emphasized that PVCs should be changed routinely in 49-71 hours. Conclusion: Evidence-based applications to prevent complications associated with PVC were implemented according to the research results.