Evaluation of a safety-engineered peripherally inserted intravenous catheter with multiple access blood control: clinician acceptability and ease of use.

Aim: Acceptability of a new safety-engineered peripherally inserted intravenous catheter (PIVC) with multiple access blood control (MBC) was evaluated in this observational study by experienced volunteer clinicians on healthy volunteers.

Methods: Clinicians and healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. Observers documented study procedures, including if there was any blood leakage from the catheter hub at various times during hub connections and disconnections and how many attempts it took a clinician to get a successful stick. Clinicians responded to yes-or-no and Likert-scale questionnaires describing their experiences with PIVC with MBC after each procedure. Questionnaire data were summarized by frequency and percent of responses; analyses were conducted using binomial statistics.

Results: Overall, clinicians considered PIVC with MBC to be acceptable (93.6% agreement). Clinicians were able to easily remove the catheter protective cap, insert the catheter, visualize primary and secondary flashbacks, easily remove the needle from the catheter hub and determine if the safety clip was activated after withdrawing the needle. In addition, they were able to connect or disconnect and flush extension sets. Clinicians did not have to change their insertion technique, found the catheter easy to insert, and believed the catheter would protect them from blood exposure during insertion of the catheter and subsequent hub accesses (agreement ranged from 82.3% to 98.9%).

Conclusions: No blood leakage was observed from the catheter hub at any time during the procedures. Overall, clinicians found the new PIVC with MBC to be acceptable, easy to use, and functioned properly.

Highlights: Acceptability, usability, and ease of use of a new safety-engineered PIVC with MBC was evaluated. PIVC with MBC was >93% acceptable: prevented blood exposure after multiple insertions/removals. Most clinicians (96%) achieved first stick success when using their product. PIVC with MBC was easy to use, worked properly and allowed clinicians to keep their PIVC technique.