Decreasing infections associated with peripheral intravenous cannulas

COMPLETE

Summary

Peripheral intravascular catheters (PIVCs) are one of the most common medical devices used in Victoria, yet there is widespread variation in practice regarding the management of these.

It has been estimated that 70 per cent of hospitalised people will have at least one PIVC inserted during their stay, and up to 69 per cent of these PIVCs are associated with some kind of complication.

Objectives

The aims of the project were to:

1. develop and test a bundle of care aimed at decreasing variation in practice regarding PIVC management for inpatients 
2. construct and test a measurement strategy to evaluate the impact of the PIVC bundle of care.

Outcome

The project achieved a number of outcomes that progressed standardisation of PIVC care in Victoria. 

This included: 

• standardising the definition of PIVC-associated staph aureus bacteraemia to allow change to be monitored at a state level 
• creation of an evidence-based bundle of care 
• development of a set of five supporting resources to assist healthcare services to implement the PIVC bundle.

Download resources

• PIVC bundle of care: project summary
• PIVC bundle of care: fundamental principles
• PIVC bundle of care: change package
• PIVC bundle of care: measurement strategy
• PIVC bundle of care: measures collection form