COVID-19 and the management and care of peripheral intravenous catheters.

Background: During the COVID619 pandemic, hospitals implemented several infection control measures that could affect the quality of insertion and management of peripheral intravenous catheters $PIVCs). Pre-pandemic studies found a high rate of PIVC complications, but no studies to date have assessed the quality during the pandemic period. Objective: This prospective study aimed to investigate the effect of the pandemic on PIVC management and care. Method: Data were collected from adult patients $_18 years) at a university hospital in Norway during a three-week period in February 2020 (pre-pandemic: PP group) and a three-week period in October 2020 (pandemic: P group). The primary outcome measure was PIVC quality as determined by the validated PIVC Mini Questionnaire $PIVC-miniQ%, which consists of 16 items relating to deviations from best practice. Results: The study included 483 PIVCs and 413 patients. Of these, 238 PIVCs $49.3%% were collected in the PP group and 245 $50.7%% in the P group. In the PP group, 41.8% of the PIVCs were 18 gauge (green PIVC% or larger, compared to 53.3% in the P group. The median PIVC-miniQ score was 2 in both groups, with a range of 0710 in the PP group and 078 in the P group. Improved quality in terms of fewer patients reporting pain was registered in the P group $14.3% compared to 6.7%%, and 36.3% had blood in the IV line in the PP group, compared to 26.5% in the P group. However, a poorer quality was observed in the P group for the PIVC-miniQ items 'purulence' $0% in the PP group compared to 6% in the P group) and 'loose dressing' $15.2% in the PP group compared to 24.9% in the P group). Documentation of PIVC insertion and indication was equally insufficient in both groups (p = 0.857%. Conclusion: Although some differences were observed at item level, the PIVC quality as measured by the PIVC-miniQ total score remained unchanged during the pandemic. Given the low workload of our hospital during the pandemic, it is a paradox that the PIVC care did not improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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