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| Author | Mario Caruana |
| Abstract | Peripheral intravenous lines are commonly used in the clinical area and are considered a potential risk for intravenous-related infections (Turnidge 1984). Although vast research on the care of peripheral intravenous lines exists, much conflicting evidence is apparent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nurses' perceptions of the care of peripheral intravenous lines in two surgical wards at St. Lukes General Hospital. An exploratory, descriptive research design was used, employing semi-structured interviews to gather the perceptions of 8 State Registered Nurses (SRNs). Content analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the nursing care of peripheral intravenous lines is variable and a fixed hospital/ward policy is not available. Moreover, the nurses perceived that factors such as time or financial and physical resources affect their daily care of peripheral intravenous lines. As a result of these findings the formulation of a policy concerning intravenous care management is recommended. The need for more in-service training for nurses and the availability of more intravenous dressings is also highlighted. It is recommended that the same study should be carried out on a larger scale. It is also thought to be worthwhile should an observational study be carried out in order to see the actual clinical practice of the care of peripheral intravenous lines. |
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| Key words | Nurses, Perception, Care, Peripheral Intravenous Lines, Thesis |