Peripheral Intravenous Cannula: Incidence, Severity and Risk Factors

The article explores the incidence, severity and risk elements of peripheral cannula-induced effects. It describes the peripheral venous cannulation as the most general process, which is invasive in patients who are admitted to the hospital. The article also provides knowledge to care providers and medical experts who deal with the patients at hand.

Running Head: PERIPHERAL INTRAVENOUS CANNULA 1
Peripheral Intravenous Cannula
Student’s name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction
The journal article “Incidence, severity and risk factors of peripheral intravenous cannula-
induced complications: An observational prospective study” by Dragana et al. seems to explore
the incidence, severity and the risk elements of peripheral cannula-induced effects. The abstract
contains aims and objectives, background, design, methods, results, and conclusion and its
relevance to the clinical practice. The article describes the peripheral venous cannulation as the
most general process, which is invasive in patients who are admitted to the hospital. It also
explains that peripheral cannulation gives to medicines, components of blood, placement of
fluids, or prenatal nutrition. Although there are many therapeutic advantages of the IV therapy
delivery through the peripheral venous cannula (PVC), the difficulties might develop. As much
as it has benefits, it can be dangerous since it can cause various complications to the concerned
parties. Therefore, proper measures must be taken in order to prevent its severity. It also
describes that the process is related to different difficulties and the falling rate of 35% to 50%
hence, it is costly to the system of healthcare, patients, and caregivers.
Studies have indicated that the acceptable rate of the complications has not yet been designated.
There are also many elements that have already been supervised, and a section of the elements
have affirmed their advancement (Gallant & Schultz, 2006). The article further displays that the
results are not always continuous particularly when it affects the gender, the age of the patient,
the size of the catheter, the placement site, and the replacement period and also the utilization of
different treatments and recommendations. Although this is one of the commonly used processes
on hospitalized sufferers, it is still reliable to difficulties that are infectious and noninfectious.

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Furthermore, there is no research in the literature review explained in the phlebitis rates and risks
when treatments that are toxic were infused by a peripheral catheter. In the current research,
hydration has been known to be the most rampant, accompanied by antibiotics treatment
infusion. The complications are well known, but prevention can be carried out to avoid further
complications (Rickard et al.,2012). If the complications are detected and treated early enough,
it can prevent long-term consequences that might harm the patients or the care providers.
Through this, medical experts can do more research on the complications. Also, patients and care
providers can have relief in terms of medical costs. The study has indicated that observational
prospective cohort study was used to determine the pattern and complications of the peripheral
intravenous cannula in adults.
Relevance to practice
In the event that local complications can be prevented, the peripheral intravenous therapy should
be considered carefully in relation to the identification of the vulnerable categories. However, the
increment of phlebitis shows that it is essential to find corrective solutions that encompass the
standardization of processes that are associated with the insertion and academic campaigns. This
will ensure that both patients and health experts to see the bigger picture of the importance of
early detection and treatment (Sabri et al.,2013). This will also benefit the community at large as
well as educational institutions who offer medical courses to prepare medical students as they
practice in hospitals.
Also, the article will help and unite all stakeholders to engage in supporting a health policy that
supports the increment on the number of nurses through offering scholarships that will enable
them to complete their studies in time and cater for the needs and interests of the patients.
Therefore, it is essential for individuals to be encouraged to take up medical courses with

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passions o as to take care of the patients without prejudice. Also, the stakeholders must ensure
that the materials that are used to make peripheral intravenous cannula are not irritative since
they can cause danger. Additionally, the article explains that wound drainage in sufferers may
cause the advancements
In addition, the results of the research article will give a variety of evidence that the management
of therapy by peripheral intravenous cannulation must be carefully taken into consideration in
regard to the known group of patients who are vulnerable and a long-term administration of
treatment and recommendations (Carr et al., 2017). Also, the analysis of the complications
affirmed that phlebitis remains the cause of failure of the peripheral venous cannula. The article
also provides knowledge to care providers and medical experts who deal with the patients at
hand.
Furthermore, the main goal of this article was to assess the incidence, severity, and risk elements
of peripheral intravenous cannula-induced difficulties. The article has shown its findings that
will help the stakeholders to know the way forward. The research has indicated almost consistent
happening of infiltration, occlusion as well as knocked PVCs observation. There is a number of
risk elements that have been considered in the research that might be described in the literature
which may have a positive impact on practice. Though the nurses have been taught how to use
the diagnostic machines applied in the research, a huge amount of cannula has not been omitted
where two previous signs of phlebitis are seen (Carr et al., 2016). This article was written in the
best interest of all the stakeholders as far as hospitalization is concerned. The outcome of this
research can greatly influence relevant authorities to create safety measures that can help in
reducing the risk of getting infections from the hospital. The article also indicates that many

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studies have shown that patients who are 60 years and above are more at risk though there is no
statistical significance.
Strengths
The article used a design that was suitable for the patients that are observational perspective
where the clinic gives tertiary healthcare. In addition, the article followed the Strobe research
guidelines. The definitions of terms have been clearly stated and explained in simple terms that
most people can understand. This gives a clear picture of the issue at hand, and even those who
are not aware of the dangers can actually gain something from the article. Data collection
considered the age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, particularly diabetes mellitus that are
associated with the peripheral intravenous cannula. Moreover, cannula placement information
was preserved by nurses the moment the cannulation encompassed the appearance for the
placement of the peripheral intravenous cannula. The research also followed ethical
considerations that were required. The article has also provided analyzed data that represents the
purpose of the study. The study used a prospective cohort study design where the complications
were evaluated timely after the insertion.
In addition, those who were going to collect data were taught how to handle and approach those
who will take part in the study. The victims who went through orientation to consent were
enrolled to a consent that is written, and those who were unconscious, they gained the consent
from their guardians or their families. Neither experimental instruments nor new products were
used. Also, the answers from the participants were confidential, and their privacy was respected,
and the study was approved by the necessary authorities.

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Weaknesses
The study also contained some weaknesses. The article does not provide recommendations on
how the instruments can be handled to avoid further implications. Also, on the discussion part,
the outcomes have been discussed but not into details as it is supposed to; hence, it is difficult for
some people to comprehend the outcome. Additionally, there was a lack of enough research
participants who could take part in the study; hence, not all subjects that were potential were
taken. Data was collected for a short period of time; hence, there was no assurance that the
participants represented all the victims for one year. Furthermore, some diseases were changing
and were seasonal that might have been overrepresented in the samples that were taken at the
time of the study hence the severity of the diseases could not be adjusted yet the explanation for
admission was adjusted for. The generalization of the research could be greatly affected by these
elements ( Ascoli, DeGuzman, & Rowlands, 2012). Moreover, phlebitis signs were judged when
the peripheral intravenous cannula was in situ. The occurrence of the signs after the removal was
not indicated because they might come up after the removal of the peripheral intravenous
cannula; hence, the frequency of phlebitis might have been higher than what was recorded.
In conclusion, the article has shown that the incidence of peripheral intravenous cannula induced
difficulties was much more than what the literature provided. The difficulties were predicted by
women, treatment, and the sites of the insertion. Therefore, the necessary stakeholders are
encouraged to seek peripheral intravenous cannula places in the arm areas and emphasizing on
the early treatment of shifting of medication management to the oral way that is safer. The
catheters are supposed to be changed clinically to avoid many complications.

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Ascoli, G. B., DeGuzman, P. B., & Rowlands, A. (2012). Peripheral intravenous catheter
complication rates between those indwelling > 96 hours to those indwelling 72–96 hours:
A retrospective correlational study. International Journal of Nursing, 1(2), 7–12
Carr, P. J., Higgins, N. S., Cooke, M. L., Rippey, J., & Rickard, C. M. (2017). Tools, clinical
prediction rules, and algorithms for the insertion of peripheral intravenous catheters in
adult hospitalized patients: A systematic scoping review of the literature. Journal of
Hospital Medicine, 12(10), 851–858. https://doi.org/10.12788/jhm.2836
Carr, P. J., Rippey, J., Moore, T., Ngo, H., Cooke, M. L., Higgins, N. S., & Rickard, C. M.
(2016). Reasons for removal of emergency department‐inserted peripheral intravenous
cannulae in admitted patients: A retrospective medical chart audit in Australia. Infection
Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 37(7), 874–876. https://doi.org/10.1017/ ice.2016.70
Gahart, L. B., & Nazareno, A. R. (2014). Intravenous medications: A handbookk for nurses and
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Gallant, P., & Schultz, A. A. (2006). Evaluation of a visual infusion phlebitis scale for
determining appropriate discontinuation of peripheral intravenous catheters. Journal of
Infusion Nursing, 29(6), 338–345. https://doi.org/10.1097/00129804-200611000-00004

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Rickard, C. M., Webster, J., Wallis, M. C., Marsh, N., McGrail, M. R., French, V., … Whitby,
M. (2012). Routine versus clinically indicated replacement of peripheral intravenous
catheters: A randomised controlled equivalence trial. The Lancet, 380(9847), 1066–1074.
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Sabri, A., Szalas, J., Holmes, K. S., Labib, L., & Mussivand, T. (2013). Failed attempts and
improvement strategies in peripheral intravenous catheterization. Bio‐Medical Materials
and Engineering, 23(1–2), 93–108. https://doi.org/10.3233/BME-120735