PIVCs – also known as IVs, cannulas, or drips – are usually placed on the back of a patient’s hand on in the crook of their elbow to deliver medication or fluids during their stay. 

Grampians Health’s Nursing and Midwifery-led research team is diving into research to improve patient safety and quality of care for patients who receive a PIVC, with help from the Victorian Nurses and Midwives Trust Major Grant. 

The grant is an opportunity for health services to be innovative, lead dedicated nursing or midwifery research and contribute to an improvement in practice and better patient outcomes. 

While PIVCs are common, they’re not without risk. Insertion and management of a PIVC that is not used or doesn’t work as it should, can cause unnecessary pain and discomfort to the patient as well as impact a clinician’s time and the hospitals resources. PIVCs may also expose patients to an increased risk of infection, which can have an effect on patient outcomes. 

“The evidence we’ve seen suggests that about half of PIVCs inserted in the Emergency Department are not used and up to 90 per cent fail, needing to be removed before treatment is completed, which often means reinsertion of the PIVC,” says Research Assistant Karina Demasson. 

Nationally, the quality and safety of PIVCs is a focus of other major trials occurring in Australia, which is good news for patients.

“It’s great to see that PIVC safety is a focus nationwide, however, many of these trials are focused on metropolitan hospitals. Regional and rural communities face distinct health challenges that our metropolitan counterparts do not. 

“We’re excited to see this nurse-led research program funded in a regional hospital, which will support the delivery of evidenced based care to our regional and rural patients,” said Leanne Shea, Grampians Health Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer. 

Grampians Health Nursing and Midwifery research team is aiming to improve the safety and quality of care for patients with a PIVC with the implementation of a care bundle focused on nursing assessment, management and removal of PIVCs. 

The research team anticipates outcomes to include a reduction in infection rates linked with PIVCs, improved management of PIVCs, improved removal of cannulas that haven’t been used in the previous 24 hours, and a reduction in PIVC failure, therefore improving the outcomes of PIVCs in rural and regional patients. 

“This project is focused on the advancement of nursing research and education to improve patient outcomes by improving nursing assessment and management of PIVC, in particular to support the validity of clinical decision making by nurses for the removal of PIVCs that are no longer needed.” said Ms Demasson.