Extract:
“The 2021 Infusion Nursing Standards of Practice was updated to highlight the importance of choosing a longer peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheter when ultrasound (US) guidance is needed.1 A longer PIV increases the likelihood of more catheter length in-vein, which is a key predictor of PIV catheter survival.2, 3, 4, 5 Recently, the article “The Effect of Catheter Length Placed Into the Vein on Peripheral Ultrasound-Guided Catheter Survival Time: A Prospective Observational Study” was published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing.6 The results demonstrated that US PIV survival was not related to in-vein length of catheter. The authors noted a general improvement in US PIV survival at the institution during the study period compared with previous years and concluded that this improvement was due to enhanced clinician experience and proficiency rather than longer catheter length in the vein. This conclusion is in contrast to the existing evidence on this important topic and has significant clinical practice implications. Our intent behind this critical appraisal of the manuscript is to provide clinicians with a deeper understanding of the methodological weaknesses of this publication that may limit the conclusions. Furthermore, we aim to provide a balanced perspective of the current evidence on this important topic.”
Reference:Bahl A, Gibson SM. Catheter Length In-Vein Impacts Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Survival. J Emerg Nurs. 2021 Jul 19:S0099-1767(21)00169-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2021.06.001. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34294454.