Our facility is considering change our peripheral site change policy to: remove/change site for signs/symptoms of phlebitis or infection. Has anyone done this and did your phlebitis rates increase?
I am really sorry but I don't understand your question. Why WOULDN'T you always remove an IV that had signs of infection or phlebitis? And if you did so, why would your phlebitis rate go up? Maybe I am missing something here. Does your current policy state that you don't have to remove an IV that has signs and symptoms of infection?
I read this as not having a time limitation such as 72 hours or 96 hours, when there are no signs of infiltration or phlebitis. That is acceptable practice for pediatrics. All IVs should be changed if there are signs of infiltration or phlebitis, but if the sites are without those symptoms, they are left in place.
I don't see that practice in the adult world, so I was wondering if her population of patients was adult or pediatric.
In the 1e it was better to remove 980 we left Iv in untill they infiltrated or developed a phlebitis. Then it was decided that this was not a good practice and maybe wmae should change an Iv before symptoms developed
Do you have evidence upon which to base your policy change?
Barbara Tinsley
This is the practice in pediatrics. The CDC guidelines support that too. Are you a pediatric facility?
Gwen Irwin
I am really sorry but I don't understand your question. Why WOULDN'T you always remove an IV that had signs of infection or phlebitis? And if you did so, why would your phlebitis rate go up? Maybe I am missing something here. Does your current policy state that you don't have to remove an IV that has signs and symptoms of infection?
Wendy Erickson RN
Eau Claire WI
I read this as not having a time limitation such as 72 hours or 96 hours, when there are no signs of infiltration or phlebitis. That is acceptable practice for pediatrics. All IVs should be changed if there are signs of infiltration or phlebitis, but if the sites are without those symptoms, they are left in place.
I don't see that practice in the adult world, so I was wondering if her population of patients was adult or pediatric.
Gwen
In the 1e it was better to remove 980 we left Iv in untill they infiltrated or developed a phlebitis. Then it was decided that this was not a good practice and maybe wmae should change an Iv before symptoms developed
Is there and specfic numbers
The Cochrane Collaboration just released:
Clinically-indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters (Review) by Webster J, Osborne S, Richard C, Hall, J
It may be helpful in this discussion