Abstract:
Objectives: This study aims to explore and describe critical care nurses’ (CCNs’) experiences and perceptions of using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to establish peripheral intravenous access in patients with difficult intravenous access (DIVA).
Design: A qualitative design with a hermeneutic approach was chosen for this study. From May to August 2022, data were collected using individual, face-to-face, and digital semistructured interviews and analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis.
Setting: The study were conducted in six intensive care units in both Norway and Sweden.
Participants: Nine CCNs experienced in using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to establish peripheral intravenous access in patients with DIVA were recruited.
Results: Data analysis led to the construction of the overarching theme: ‘POCUS simplifies a complicated procedure’ based on the following five subthemes: ‘Sharing the experience’, ‘Seeing inside the body’, ‘Independent in establishing difficult intravenous access’, ‘Using POCUS to increase action readiness’, and ‘Appreciating an expanded role as critical care nurses’.
Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous access can become a valuable skill for CCN’s caring for patients with DIVA in the intensive care unit. This practice can potentially reduce patient suffering, improve patient outcomes, enable the CCN to provide high-quality care, improve action readiness, time management and job satisfaction for the nurses.
Reference:Hansen ØM, Solbakken R. Experiences and perceptions of critical care nurses on the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to establish peripheral venous access in patients with difficult intravenous access: a qualitative study. BMJ Open. 2024 Jun 4;14(6):e078106. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078106. PMID: 38834329.