Definitions and Occurrence of Unused Short Peripheral Intravenous Catheters in Different Care Settings: A Scoping Review.
Elisa Ambrosi, Jessica Longhini, Giulia Marini and 4 others
PMID 40277025WHAT IT FOUND
Unused short peripheral IV catheters were common across 25 studies, with reported occurrence from 8.4% to 56%.
Definitions varied, so nurses should review each catheter's need and remove it when no IV therapy or clinical reason remains.
Key findings
01Unused short peripheral catheters were reported across studies as ranging from 8.4% to 56%, with a median of 29%.
02Six terms were used to describe the phenomenon, and 'unused' was the most common, appearing in 13 studies (52%).
03Factors reported to increase the likelihood of an unused catheter included catheters placed in the emergency department, large calibre, regular use for blood sampling, infrequent inspection, dirty or loose dressings, children under 24 months, and patients under 16 or over 65.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The review did not assess the quality of the included studies. The search did not include the term short peripheral catheter, so relevant studies may have been missed. Included studies used different definitions, time frames, settings, and patient groups, so the reported occurrence cannot be combined into one true rate. Many included studies were cross-sectional or retrospective, which may not show how occurrence changes over time. The evidence came mostly from Australia and emergency settings, so it may not apply to all wards or countries. The review reports associations, not tested causes, including the association with nurse staffing.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the 8.4% to 56% range as a single true rate. The studies used different definitions, settings, and time frames, so the numbers are not directly comparable.