Risk factors associated with the occurrence of the adverse event phlebitis in hospitalized adult patients.
Maryana da Silva Furlan, Amanda Saba, Antônio Fernandes Costa Lima
PMID 39383435WHAT IT FOUND
IV catheter phlebitis in hospitalized adults was linked to dwell time, catheter size and material, multiple insertion attempts, irritant drugs, missed nursing care, and patient factors such as infection, comorbidities, poor veins, pain, and reduced mobility.
Key findings
01Phlebitis was associated with catheter dwell time, catheter material and gauge, number of catheters, and infusates such as antibiotics and contrast.
02Missed nursing care was associated with phlebitis; for every unit increase in missed care, risk increased by 3.8%.
03Patient-related associations included infection, comorbidities, longer stay, reduced mobility, poor veins, pain, and skin elasticity.
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
Only free-access full-text articles were included, so relevant studies behind paywalls may be missing. Phlebitis was measured differently across studies, and some studies grouped it with infiltration, extravasation, or occlusion. Most evidence was observational, so the findings show associations rather than proven causes. The review did not pool results into a combined estimate, so strength of each risk factor varies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these risk factors as proven causes that can be changed to prevent phlebitis. Most included studies were observational, and phlebitis measurement varied, so the review shows associations rather than tested effects.