Nursing perceptions and practices in relation to adverse events related to peripherally inserted central catheters in neonates: A mixed methods study

Objectives

This study aims to characterize adverse events (AEs) related to the insertion and maintenance of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in the neonatal intensive care unit, as well as to analyze the nursing team's perception of these events.

Methods

An exploratory mixed methods research that analyzed 161 medical records of newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a public hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from January to December 2019, and conducted interviews with 17 nursing professionals from the unit.

Results

There was an incidence of 33.5% of AEs related to PICCs in the analyzed medical records, with obstruction (33.3%), infiltration (18.5%), and catheter rupture (14.8%) being the most common.

Conclusion

Although the nursing team demonstrates theoretical knowledge about AEs, the high incidence suggests a possible gap between theory and practice, indicating the need for further investigation. The importance of continuous training and protocol updates to prevent these events is emphasized.